


The S.l.u.t.

by Kirby_Stilinski



Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, Teamiplier - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ethan can be a bit of an asshole too, F/M, Hopeful Ending, Indentured Servants, M/M, Mark's an asshole, Past Rape/Non-con, Physical Abuse, Plot Twist, Rebellion, Slavery, Too Pure FOr This World Kat, but it gets better, im really bad at this. shhhh, might delete later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-01-16 09:00:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12339570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirby_Stilinski/pseuds/Kirby_Stilinski
Summary: Ethan throws a handful of blue glitter on Tyler and proclaims that he now belongs to him. Tyler misunderstands (but it ends up being for the best).[or the dystopian au that nobody asked for...]





	1. You Mean A Slut?

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I don't know what the hell this is. I saw an ask in my inbox and then this idea popped into my head so I wrote it. LMAO. If it's really lame and nobody likes it then I might take it down. Who knows.  
> WOOO LET'S GO.

 In a perfect world, nobody would have to take a test in order to analyze somebody's abilities in order to survive in a forest or a desert, or even a tundra or something. It is in a perfect world that nobody would have to pay for their crimes by becoming an indentured servant. I.e. somebody who's a slave for a certain amount of time before being released. It is in some alternate universe, perhaps, that Tyler Scheid would not have to be standing in the very same lime that his older brother and mother had been subjected into merely twelve years ago.

 In this imperfect world that Tyler lived in, something we all know as Reality, he had to wait in a line for somebody to scan a card, usher him into the edifice that loomed high above them in order to seal his fate shut. Familiar faces appeared within the hundreds of lines that surrounded the large building, some neighbors, some classmates, others were coworkers. All these people that Tyler recognized, would be gone. 

 You see, hundreds of years ago, a bunch of assholes decided to let loose a bunch of nukes and ruin all of mankind. In the aftermath of this nuclear catastrophe, the United States -- or what was left of it anyway -- enforced a system in which every citizen was subjected into a thirty-minute test that would measure one's capability in the physical and mental aspects when it came to surviving in a different biome. These tests, which often times were said to be crucial and difficult to withstand, then signed off who would go where. 

 The grading scale was simple: Those with an excellent score of 8 or higher would go to the Citadels, anybody with a 6 or 7 would be sent into the Forests, 5's would go to the Mountains, 3 and 4's would be shipped off to the Coastal Citadels, and Anybody below a 2 would either be sent to the Deserts or Tundras. In all of history, nobody has returned from the Tundras. Nobody.

 And apparently, there have only been thirteen people in Tyler's hometown that have gotten an 8. Over a thousand have scored 2's. Including his older brother.

  "Tyler Scheid, Grid 23?" a woman called out. Tyler reached the table in which a smiling woman with dark complexion hunched over a tablet. She looked up, bright red lipstick and teeth as white as the screen. "Tyler Scheid?"

  "Yes."

  "Perfect," she responded, tapping twice on her tablet and a ticket sliding out of a slot inside the table. "You're testing room is Room 44 and you are subject 679. Thank you very much, and may your strength lead your life."

 Tyler mumbled a thank you as he accepted the ticket, analyzing it's few contents. Simply his name, room number, and his placement. That's all he felt he was in this society. In this imperfect world, everybody was just a number.

 Upon being led into the building by a guard with a masked helmet, Tyler noticed from two lines away that there was a commotion. Another boy, around his age, was being led by a guard into the same building while an older man cried and struggled to reach him. One of the guards restraining him reached into his belt, unleashing a crackling rod that was slammed into the man, electrocuting him easily before collapsing to the ground. Damn did those things hurt.

 Tyler entered the building, noticing the bright colors that surrounded him in contrast to the dull grey outside. Tyler, along with fifteen other people walked into the room that contained a single elevator that would most likely carry them up to their destiny. They shuffled in once the door opened, plenty of room for them to breath but not enough for them to speak.

 The girl standing next to Tyler seemed to have cried, the glimmer of fresh tears staining her cheeks. The boy in front of Tyler was the same one from earlier. He could tell by his hair. The elevator ride lasted a few seconds before the doors made a lurid sound and opening before them. They stepped out, suddenly terrified of the gloomy walls that just replaced the bright lights from below. They carefully looked around, eventually realizing there was a large hallway. A blonde woman in heels clacked her way out of the hall, meeting them. She gave everybody a sneer and a look of distaste. The woman curled her finger, motioning for them to follow her down the corridor. They did as silently asked, shuffling through the small hall until they reached another larger room. There was a series of exits, each of them with a number on a golden plaque. 

  "You," the woman said, voice high and venomous, "what room number do you have?"

 A girl with cut, light brown hair looked surprised. She fumbled in her pocket and revealed her ticket.

  "Umm, Room 45."

  "Anybody else with a room in the forties?" the woman asked, he voice demanding yet patient. Tyler raised his hand along with the tear-stained girl. The scornful woman motioned once again, Tyler and the two other women following her down the hall. This hall was much larger and at the very end stood ten doors lined up with their specified room numbers. "Go to your rooms, wait patiently, don't kill the others inside." The woman turned her heel and clacked down the hall.

 The shortest girl scoffed, pocketing her ticket. A series of shouts could be heard from one of the doors.

  "This is stupid," the tear-stained girl mumbled, "it's not fair. We didn't ask to take this test. My grandmama used to tell me that when she was our age, they didn't have these tests."

 Tyler said nothing. The girl sighed and went toward the door on the far left, room 41. She opened the door and walked in, slamming it behind her. The brunette walked into hers, wary and vigilant before the door closed behind her too. Tyler stared at his door, his body refusing to open it. He raised a shaking hand to the door, grabbing onto the cold handle. The iron door had an occult look to it, scratches and years of decay making it all the more creepier. Tyler took in a deep breath and pulled open the door.

 Inside was a small room, something akin to a prison cell, with two benches lining both sides of the wall and another large metal door, much newer than the one he entered, opposite of where he stood. Huddled into a ball in the very corner was a man with ruffled hair. 

 Tyler slowly stepped in, allowing the door behind him to groan as it closed shut behind him. There was no turning back. The longer that he stood there, the much more awkward the silence felt. He eventually made his way to the bench opposite of the other man. He sat down, hands clasped between his knees as one legged incessantly jumped up and down.

  "It's silly isn't it?" The man suddenly mumbled,. A soft chuckle could be heard. "How we're forced to do something we never asked for. To be sent to some... some random place to 'reconnect' or 'survive' in for eternity." The man used emphasis with quotations. He scoffed and uncurled himself, mimicking Tyler's stance.

  "We won't... be there forever. We'll have to make our way back to the nearest city, right?"

 The man laughed, but it didn't have any joy behind it.

  "You have too much hope in you," he chuckled darkly, "you won't make it a day in the wild."

 Tyler shifted uncomfortably at his words. He knew he was lying, his Father had even told him that he and his mother were sent to the Forest to live for so long before they eventually made their way back to a fairly large city. On the outskirts was his hometown.

  "I'll make my way back here if I have to," Tyler mumbled defensively. The man chuckled darkly again.

  "First, you'll have to make sure you're not sent into the Tundra," the man leaned in extremely close to Tyler, his physical features much more apparent then. "don't you, pretty boy?"

 The metal door suddenly making a sound and a guard stepping out interrupted their conversation. The masked figure simply waved his hand at Mark. He stood up, winking at Tyler once before passing through the door. The guard looked at Tyler, sticking his hand out.

  "W-what?"

  "Your ticket." A man spoke, voice muffled by the large helmet/mask. Tyler handed it to him. The guard snatched it and walked through the door, shutting it behind him with a large boom. Tyler was alone.

 As the time passed, the curly-haired man decided to spend his time analyzing his abode. There were twenty-three scratches on one of the doors, about 56 on the others. The benches seemed relatively new, regardless of the dust that piled underneath it. Tyler's minutes passed by before he eventually laid down and stared at the cold, gray ceiling. He had expected somebody to have showed up by now, but it was simply quiet. 

 Tyler reminisced on his time here. The friends he made, the adventures they had been on. There was one fond memory he had that always stayed on his mind, one he never hoped to forget. They were at the border of the city's limits, simply walking next to the fence.

* * *

 

 The hot summer day fell down on the group of teenagers as they kicked rocks and walked along the large wall that separated them from the outside world. Tyler was quiet while his friends laughed and joked.

  "No, but get this: After Mr. Jackson told me to pick up my book, I swiped it off the ground and flung it out the damn window." One of his rebellious friends, Wade, had said. Tyler chuckled while the others hollered in laughter. 

  "One of these days, you're going to get expelled, Wade." A girl said, giggling. 

  "Better expelled than doomed an eternity in those classrooms. Man, I can't wait to be sent out into the Wild. I'm going to make the biggest treehouse in the whole damn world and live there for the rest of my life," Wade said, tossing a rock against the wall, bouncing and clattering past Tyler's foot.

  "Don't say that," Tyler mumbled. Wade's girlfriend put a hand on Tyler's back.

  "Yeah, c'mon, Wade. Don't be a dick," she whispered.

  "Look, I'm sorry about your mom, but all I'm saying is that I AM ready to be sent out. Hell, I'd volunteer for any of you if I had the damn chance."

 Tyler sighed and looked away, staring at the seemingly endless fields of weeds and tall grass that distanced them from their houses. The large concrete building could be seen from there, towering over them.

  "Plus, you can't build a treehouse if you're stuck in the Desert. Or worse: a Tundra." Her brother piped up.

  Wade chuckled. "No way, i'm definitely going to be in the top ranks. You'll see."

 The group laughed and chuckled, admiring Wade's confidence and stupidity all at the same time.

  "Tyler's obviously going with you. You two are like the same height, same body, same... well, everything!" Bob added. Tyler shrugged.

  "No way, Tyler's too much of an S.L.U.T."

 Tyler furrowed his eyebrows together at the acronym.

  "You mean a slut?" Tyler asked, on the brink of laughter. Wade's girlfriend scoffed.

  "No, dummy! It's an acronym.  You're a sweet, little, unforgivable, thing," She explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "S.l.u.t., Duh!"

 Tyler began to laugh at the compliment. The group continued to venture next to the wall as the sun began to set.

* * *

 

The memory made Tyler smile. He could still feel the slight breeze of that summer day against his arms. Tyler was brought back into reality when the metal door groaned open, the guard slipping in and motioning for Tyler to follow. Apparently, some other girl had entered while Tyler dreamed. She gave the guard her ticket and quietly curled into a ball in the corner. 

 Tyler stepped through the door, walking into an entirely bright, white hallway. It was if the walls and the floor were illuminated by a light behind it. Tyler followed the guard, who was just as white as the walls in his suit, down the large hall. Eventually reaching a door that had a computer embedded into the wall.

  "Once you walk through this door, you will go through your Test. This Test comes in three parts: Physical endurance, Mental endurance, and Survival Mode. Once you've completed the Test, your scores will indicate  where you'll be shipped off to. After I reveal your Test scores, they will be sent to your family and you will be led through the Gateway. The next officer will elaborate on that some more."

 Tyler nodded, paying close attention to his words.

  "Are you ready?"

 Tyler shook his head. The guard shrugged and took off his helmet. He gave Tyler a reassuring pat on the shoulder and a sincere smile.

  "Don't worry. You'll do fine, kiddo. You look strong," he said before putting his helmet back on. The man pressed a few buttons on the computer, the door sliding open. Tyler looked behind him once before entering the room. The door slid behind him with a hissing sound. 

 His future began now.


	2. The Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YAY, YOU'RE BACK FOR MORE. I'M GLAAADDD

 The room itself was simply just a dull gray, but not like the concrete walls, but more so a futuristic gray. Like clay. A wave of lights flushed through the room, startling Tyler. He looked around, seeing that the room was extraordinarily huge. On the wall opposite of him, a series of lights appeared to form words.

   **Test A: Physical Endurance**

Tyler stared at the words before they disappeared as soon as they appeared. Suddenly, a large staircase that led to a floating platform appeared. Tyler, curious as to what it was, stepped closer until he stood beside the first step. He raised his foot, gently placing it against the "wood." It glimmered, a ripple of pixels surrounded where his foot fell. Tyler retracted his foot momentarily before placing it down again with the same effect.

 Tyler took another step and found that the stairs would, in fact, not collapse underneath him. Tyler began to walk up the stairs until he eventually took a small leap to the platform. It contained a single letter on the ground. Tyler bent down to pick it up. It read:

    ** _To whoever it may concern, you have begun your first of three parts or your Elective Examination. You will be tested on your physical skill, strength, and endurance. Complete the course and you will be awarded corresponding to your time. Fail to complete the course will result in a decrease in your Score. Your time begins whenever this note hits the ground. The course will appear in front of you as you run through. But be warned, the structures behind you may begin to disappear the farther you venture. Do not look back. Blessed Be Your Strength._**

Tyler raised his eyes from the note, looting around the platform to see nothing else had appeared. Tyler tossed the note off the edge of the platform, and waited for the unknown to appear in front of him. The note slowly floated its way to the ground, the second that it hit the ground, a large clock appeared on the wall, looming over Tyler. The clock started and a set of obstacles began to form in front of him.

 He took careful steps, the small cube-like pixels forming the series of obstacles he'd be facing. The clock was ticking, but luckily for Tyler, the path was forming fast enough for him to move through it.

 The first set of obstacles was a series of enormous cubes placed meticulously in his way in order to jump or run past them. The large stretch of these boxes eventually reached the next obstacle, a large, horizontal cylinder that spun fairly fast. It resembled the type you'd see at carnivals in Shack Houses. 

  Admittedly, Tyler never had good balance, so attempting to run through this while his feet tilted along with the cylinder made it incredibly difficult for him to get through. Continuing from the cylinder was a large stretch in which Tyler sprinted towards a huge wall. The grips scattered along the wall would change every so often. Tyler held onto one, counting down how long it'd take before it moved. He counted twelve seconds.

 Tyler began to scale the wall, using his adrenaline and speed to carry him through. As he reached for another grip for his hand, the one below his foot disappeared, his foots scraping against the wall. Tyler almost panicked, he flung himself to another set of grips and continued to climb from there. Eventually reaching the top, he saw that the obstacles ahead of him continued to form, meanwhile behind him, the obstacles began to disappear, the pixel-cubes separating and fading away.

 Tyler ran down the ramp, approaching what appeared to be a great chasm with ropes that would allow him to swing onto another before he reached the other end. Tyler threw himself onto a single rope, swinging forward and letting go with ease onto the next. By the time he reached the third rope, Tyler felt his muscles getting tired. He made a final attempt to throw himself to the other end.

 He rolled over, his chest hurting as he felt his lungs not being able to get enough air. From afar, he could see the wall was beginning to dissipate. Tyler quickly stood up and encountered his next challenge. The year before, Tyler had only done hurdles twice for the Track season. Now, he has to face them a third time. Tyler sprinted over the hurdles, swinging one leg after the other lead. There were five continuous hurdles before he reached another chasm. Without losing his momentum, Tyler jumped and flung himself to reach the other end. 

 His arms caught the edge, the rest of his body swung as he held on for dear life. Tyler looked down, regretting it as he realized how high he actually was. Tyler used his upper body strength to pull himself up, but merely enough for his arms to reach the platform. He scraped at the pixelated ground, the soft screech useless as he continued to claw to bring himself back up. He took a deep breath and hauled himself up, straining his muscles and adrenaline pumping through his veins.

 He wiped the sweat off his brow, eyeing the large staircase dreadfully. He took his time as he went up, seeing that there was another large gap between platforms. The only difference was that this had a box with a keyhole in it. Tyler looked around for the key, confused as to what he was supposed to do. Then, at the base of the stairs, the figure of a faceless man began to appear in a series of bright blue and purple cubes. The man stood his guard, a key in his hand. The figure suddenly morphed his hand into his chest, pulling it back out to reveal an empty hand. The key was inside him and Tyler had to fight him to get it.

 The large figure began to charge up the stairs, Tyler carefully made his way down where they met up. The figure swung first, Tyler dodging by a mere inch. Tyler swung next, striking it on its side where a series of the large pixel-cubes fell off. The figure stepped up, throwing himself at Tyler. The tall man took a step aside, the figure falling down but rolling into a steady position. Tyler swung again, missing greatly and being slammed against the neck. He groaned, infuriated and swung his arm back. Then his leg. The tactic was repeated. Arm, leg, arm, leg, arm, leg, until he finally struck the figure and knocked him down the steps until he crumpled into a pile of purple and blue cubes. Tyler made his way down, grabbing the key from the pile and making his way back up.

 He inserted the key, turned it, and the remaining gap was filled. Tyler continued and saw there was a final stretch he needed to sprint. But the catch was that it was beginning to fall apart. Tyler looked behind him and saw that the stairs were dissipating, and he sprinted for his life.

 Leg after leg, Tyler avoided the small holes and missing pieces on the final stretch. Tyler sprinted, feeling the pixels giving out underneath him until he finally made it to the marked Black and White lines. He keeled over, exhausted by the extraneous work. He caught his breath and looked up at the large clock that now glowed a bright red, reading:  **21:43.07**

The wall was swiped clean of the numbers and was replaced by the words **Test B: Mental Endurance.**

Tyler sighed, looking around at the platform around him. Slowly, more pixels formed a large, thin line that led to another platform. It was a balance beam. Begrudgingly, Tyler followed it. One foot in front of the other, Tyler slowly made his way across. This time, there was no clock rushing him. Yet there was the sounds of birds. At first, they were delightful sounds, before they became incessant squabbling that began to grow louder and louder. Tyler almost lost his balance. He crouched down and sat on the single line of cubes. And then he realized, he could just continue like this. Tyler scooted faster than he walked. The birds became more of a background noise than a distraction.

 Eventually, Tyler reached the other end and hoisted himself onto the platform. The birds stopped. The words were swiped off the screen. One more part to go.

 The wall lit up once more with the words  **Test C: Survival Mode**. Tyler took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever was to come his way. The room began to shift, the walls turning into a landscape and the floor underneath him transforming into actual grass. The empty gray room lit up to become an actual scenery of a forest. Tyler let out a sigh, relieved that this was his task. One of the trees had a clock embedded onto it. It had a timer of thirty minutes. The clock began to tick and Tyler looked around his area to admire the beauty for a second.

 Tall, oak trees. Bright green grass. The smell of fresh air. It made him smile. The sounds of water running nearby and the general sounds of wildlife brought ease. Then he heard the scuffling. Tyler opened his eyes, looking around. There seemed to be nothing at first, until a pair of beady eyes stared back at him through a bush. Tyler's eyes widened when he heard a bowstring draw. He merely had a second when the arrow flew at him, scraping his arm as he dove behind a tree. He looked down, seeing blood was actually drawn.

 Tyler had no weapons. No medical aid. He was literally left in an environment where he had to survive. Another arrow flew the air, landing in the tree trunk, mere inches from his face. Tyler sprinted. The sounds of arrows whipping and rocks clattering against trees and the ground were the only things he could here. Arrow after arrow, Tyler dodged and zig-zagged through the forest as he ran away. A tall man, taller than him, came trudging through the tall ferns and loomed over Tyler. He swung a machete, barely missing Tyler's face. Tyler ran around him, the other man quick on his feet as he followed Tyler. Their footsteps matched, their breathing was synchronized. Chasing one another behind every passing tree, the machete waving wildly in hopes of slicing Tyler.

 More arrows flew past Tyler. Finally, a rock smacked Tyler right between the eyes. He stepped on a trap, and was caught in a net that hung from a sturdy tree branch. The tall man neared him, laughing maniacally as he swung his blade, chopping Tyler off the net. When he landed, it was on something soft. And cold.

 The forest environment changed to that of a Tundra. There was snow everywhere, wind whipped violently in a sudden, snow particles cutting at Tyler's face and exposed skin. He stood up, analyzing that there were a rare amount of trees, blackened and stripped of their very nature. Tyler saw figures of people rising from the snow. They carried sharpened, black sticks and wore rags that resembled the snow. Tyler tried to run, the depth of the snow slowing him down. His foot sunk incredibly deep into the snow, his entire leg just sliding down. He was stuck.

 Tyler struggled, attempting to claw his leg out, but the men approached closer and closer until eventually, Tyler had to close his eyes, preparing for the worst. But then the snow felt warm. Even hot. He opened his eyes and removed his arms from where he covered his face. The snow can turned into sand. Tyler, carefully, slipped his leg out of the sand. He stood up, brushing himself off as he looked around him. A barren desert with a small oasis not too far away. Even after just being in the freezing cold, the heat beat down on Tyler as he made his way toward the small water hole. He scooped a handful of water into his mouth, savoring the taste as it slid down his throat. He gulped more, making sure he doesn't do himself anything wrong. He splashed his face, the heat momentarily dissipating from the fresh water. Tyler let out a breath of relief.

 He looked at his reflection in the water and realized someone stood behind him. It was a guard in their bright white suit. He looked behind him in sudden fear, a large glove slammed into his face as he fell backwards into the water. The water seemingly never ended. He never felt a bottom, and for a second he assumed he was drowning. He saw fish swim to and fro, a larger white fish with giant teeth swim past him again. Another strange fish with multiple... tentacles? Oh wait, that was an Octopus. Duh. Tyler observed the marine life around him as he sank further until there was just darkness.

 He opened his eyes and was lying on the gray floor inside of that massive room. He slowly sat up, looking to his right to see the clock had changed to a row of zeros. He looked around him, seeing no other indication of a next challenge. The wall swiped its zeros away and replaced it with a loading symbol.

 This was it. The moment of truth.

 The second that the large number loomed over Tyler, with a series of words underneath it, he felt his heart sink. The guards burst in through a door to the far left. They charged in, forcefully picking up the man as he continued to stare at the number. His heart filled with dread and his mind blank. How could this have happened? What did he wrong? What did he do right? Tyler didn't understand. But he had a long ride to think about it. What flashed on that wall haunted his eyes as he was dragged out of the large testing room and into the blinding sunlight. He could hear people shouting and screaming. He watched as hundreds of people's families screamed and shouted for mercy. Tyler saw that one girl who cried in the elevator. She was walking next to the guards, rather than being dragged off like him.

 There were a series of helicopters waiting for all of the contestants. Six Helicopters for six different locations. Each of them labeled with a respective symbol. 

 

 Tyler was being dragged off to the helicopter on the far left. He could see the pitiful looks in people's eyes. Oh, but if only they knew. If only they knew why Tyler was so shocked. It wasn't because he felt his performance was terrible, but rather that his score did not make any sense to him. 8's would go to the Citadels. 2's and below would go to Deserts and Tundras. The question lingered in Tyler's head as he was hauled into a helicopter with six other unfortunate souls. Did they get unjust scores such as Tyler did too?

 He wasn't so sure. In fact, Tyler wasn't sure what was right and what was wrong anymore. His memories were haunted by what appeared on that wall. 

**Tyler Scheid**

**Final Score: 9**

**Relocation: The Tundras**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might delete. Who knows. ehhhh


	3. The Tundras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tundras hold an unexpected presence that Tyler and the others were not prepared for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so very very late and I am so sorry but hopefully this semester will be a lot easier and yaaaaahhhh  
> Updating (hopefully) won't take as long anymore. YAY. OKAY.  
> ENJOY THIS CHAPTER. I HOPE.

As the helicopter began to ascend off the ground, dust and leaves scattering into the crowd of crying parents and desperate protesters, Tyler couldn't help nut stare out the window and lay his hand against the cool glass, hoping he could share some or any connection to somebody down there. The helicopter slowly flew over his memorable birthplace, the familiar neighborhoods that he memorized from going to school everyday. The series of houses with the same grey rooftops and dried up lawns.

 There were children, too young to understand why so many flying machines were roaring over their heads, played in the narrow streets with their parents watching them endearingly. As the aircrafts flew over, the kids paused their game as they turned their heads up at the sky to stair at the series of machines blowing and scattering the leaves around them as they faded away over the continuous buildings. 

 Tyler tore his eyes away from the window to look at the sunken faces and solemn faces of the other passengers on their voyage. There was a boy with curly, brown hair and a dark skin complexion. There were deadly circles underneath his eyes, cast down to the floor in sadness. A girl sat next to the window opposite of the one Tyler sat next to. Her wild, blonde hair covered her face as she looked out the window solemnly, like a curtain hiding the next act in a play. Another boy sat next to her, fuming with fists clenched and brow furrowed angrily as he glared between the two guards that sat on Tyler's end of the bench. He had a cut on his cheek, bright and fresh meaning he struggled to get inside the aircraft. Finally, there were two more unfortunate souls lying on the cold metal floor between the two benches, both most likely unconscious. 

 The airplanes flew over the large stone wall that erected between their city and whatever lied beyond. Tyler focused outside his window once more, seeing a large series of plains extending for miles. The clouds still hung low, but in the horizon all the passengers could see the faint sign of the sun falling against it. 

  "God, I love the sunsets over here," one of the guards mumbled. The others nodded.

 'Sunset'. What a strange word. Sun. Set. As if the sun was setting on the horizon. The term had Tyler confused before marvel was etched across his face. He looked back at the window to stare at this 'sunset'.

 Floating high above them was Citadel 29, the airplanes and helicopters flying off of the large citadel and following the array of aero-machines. Soon, it was only a series of helicopters and planes that made their way toward the Tundras. It was in the middle of the night, where the stars shined brightest, that they finally arrived.

 The vehicles descended onto the ground, gradually. Tyler felt a slight shake as they landed, the doors suddenly sliding open with a hissing sound and the guards lifting and kicking them right out. They ignored the yelps of the victims as they were tossed out one by one onto the cold, hard dirt. The winds roared in their ears, no sign of snow around them but a sharpness in the wind left them shivering cold and red. The ground was even colder than the wind. 

 Tyler and the other 5 failures were sprawled out on the ground when the guards tossed them multiple blankets, a single knife, and a bag full of food. The guards jumped back into the safety of the helicopter and began to take off. The boy that was fuming inside the helicopter chased after them and took an enormous leap to grab onto the railing underneath the plane. He began to fly away with the plane when a sudden gunshot reverberated through the wind and the boy fell limply a few meters away from them.

 The blonde girl began to disperse the blankets between everybody silently. She even made her way to the fallen boy and draped a blanket over him. She returned to the group and wrapped her arms around her knees the the blanket shrouding her body. After what seemed like hours of shivering the unbearable cold, the group slowly huddled closer for warmth. One of the teenagers that unconscious for most of the flight went to grab the boy that was shot down. She claimed there was a pulse.

 That night they shivered and wept about their failures and their lives. The moment would have been considered intimate under any other situation. But right now, it seemed like they were trying to reach out before they froze to death.

 The blonde girl was Amy. She used to be top of her class at the high school she came from. She failed her test since she took too long. The curly-haired boy called himself Trinket. He had no education other than fixing thing with his father in a repair shop in the slums of the city. He refused to take part in the test in which he was beaten senselessly by guards afterwards. The two unconscious teenagers were actually twins, Isaac and Isabella. Isabella failed her test when she missed the jump and broke her leg.  Isaac failed to beat the synthesized enemies and he eventually fell all the down down once the platform dissipated. Multiple people, all from different areas of their Districts, had all failed in one way or another. Tyler seemed to be the only one with a perfect score but remained in the Tundras. He lied, claiming he fell off the wall. After most people shared their stories and wept even longer, they all seemed to fall asleep in their large pile. The next morning would change everything.

 Tyler was woken up by his head slamming against metal. At first he was annoyed, then confused. He rose up, looking around him to realize that he was no longer on the frozen ground, but rather in a large vehicle surrounded by dozens of other sleeping figures.

  "W-what's going on?" A little girl cried as she sat in the corner. Tyler stared at her in shock before he looked around him and saw cracks in the walls. He peered outside to see that the scene was full of snow. The wind whipping angrily against the side of the vehicle they were in. There was no sign of anything. The ride seemed to last a while before the vehicle came to a gradual halt. He heard voices and tried to listen in as best as he could.

  "Yeah, we got a new load of 'em... not really... well, obviously. Where else would I get them from?! ... just... the dam gates... thanks."

 Tyler could only gather bits and pieces through the loud wind and the distance between himself and the speakers. The vehicle lurched forward and Tyler saw a large archway come into view, followed by a large wooden wall with spikes at its tips and gates closing them in. Tyler settled back into the bodies, more and more people stirring as they began to wake. Tyler closed eyes, pretending to be asleep as if being inconspicuous. The doors of the back opened and out poured multiple people. Tyler opened his eyes and found himself being dragged out forcefully before being tossed onto the ground. Still cold, but not as freezing as the night before.

 There was a loud commotion going around him, he stumbled on his feet to look around. He and the other passengers were all encircled by people in warmer clothing, holding weapons at their side and curiosity in their eyes.

 Some men hollered and yipped at them, taunting them like fresh meat. A few women stood to the side, batting their eyes at the men and winking. Children held their mother's hand and stared frightfully at the new strangers. The scenery upon Tyler suddenly made him look like an animal for show, caught in the spotlight of something wicked and unpleasant. One of the men that had come out of the vehicle sprung at the crowd of people surrounding them. One of the scandalous women whipped out a knife and stabbed him right in the shoulder. He didn't have a chance as he stumbled backward and held the open wound. The woman giggled in delight, twirling the knife before slipping it back onto a strip of cloth that held it in place on her thigh.

  "Ladies and Gentlemen, step away from the newcomers. STEP AWAY, DAMMIT!" The sound of a whip cracking created the crowd to part as a group of people strode elegantly forward and approached them. More and more victims awoke in the back of the truck, all of them huddling deeper into the metal haven with the crowd terrifying them. This group of people must be the ones who ran the place, judging by their posture and elegant clothing. It was still rags, but much cleaner and with more vibrancy than the rest of the people.

  "And what have we were? Tsk tsk, no sweetheart that won't do," a woman cooed as she approached the wounded man. She lifted him up slowly and walked him away, the crowd splitting for her as she led the man to a small little cabin. The crowd was silent, with the exception of curious murmurs. A man bearing a single golden pendant suddenly approached these newcomers and eyes them down. He twisted his mouth, as if sympathetic but also pitiful. 

  "You, the lady in the glasses," the man suddenly boomed, pointing his finger to a woman behind Tyler. "Come here." The woman was hesitant, shifting awkwardly before the sound of a whip cracking enlightened the crowd. People shouting at the woman to step up.

 The woman suddenly darted forward, approaching the man in power. He eyed her, walking around in a full circle. He hummed in approval and raised her hand to the crowd. A cheer rose. Another woman came from the crowd and escorted her the same path as the wounded man to a cabin. This went on, the man with the pendant calling forward people every so often in order to achieve approval from the citizens of the tiny town whether they were accepted or not. Tyler assumed everybody would be accepted until it Isaac was called forward. The man inspected him, shaking his head and raising his hand. The crowd booed unanimously. Isaac was then dragged by a bulkier man to the side. The crowd split once more to allow the man to carry Isaac away. Tyler was horrified by what he saw. 

 A large wooden guillotine stood far off from the crowd. There were cheers and laughter as Isaac screamed for mercy as he was locked in place. The executioner threw his arms up to gain cheers and enthusiasm from the crowd. Isaac kicked his legs wildly behind him in order to try and injure the executioner but to not avail. Tyler turned his eyes away as the crowd shouted in joy at the sound of a blade swooping down, a thunk onto the platform raising the crowd's cheers.

 Tyler prayed he would not end up the same fate. Luckily, it was merely Isaac and another woman that met the guillotine. When Tyler was called forward, he tried his best to stay still. The silence in the large open area left him nervous. The man let out occasional hums before nodding his head at Tyler. He (tried) to raise Tyler's arm high in order to receive the verdict from the crowd. There were a series of murmurs followed by a clash of boo's and cheers. The man scrunched his eyebrows together and looked at Tyler once more.  He raised is arm again and was met with the same cacophony of split decisions.

 Tyler swallowed his fears when another man stalked his way from the elegant viewers and inspected Tyler himself. 

  "Father, what say you about this man?" He asked, voice soft but demanding. 

  "I think he'd be fine, but the people are against one another on this one and this entire establishment relies on the people." The crowd murmured once more as all eyes were on Tyler. Dirty looks and curious smiles connected with Tyler. He felt nervous once again.

  "You've always asked me to... get myself a servant, yes?"

 The man with the pendant shifted, his interest peaked by the statement.

  "Of course. What are you proposing, Ethan?"

 The other man looked at Tyler again, giving him a malicious smile.

  "What if I chose him to serve me?"

 The crowd gasped. A series of approving mumbles waved through the crowd. Ethan raised Tyler's arm above his head, the crowd now unanimously cheering for him. Tyler was then led by the hand by this smaller man, the glares and flirtatious stares from women tracking his every step as he followed this 'Ethan'.

 In the distance, Tyler could hear the trials of the newcomers continuing, the man led him beyond a series of small cottages to a large, almost manor-like building. It was a grand cabin, bigger than the rest dotting across the fortress. Tyler was led up the steps and entered after the man.

 He was hit with a wave of warmth, a fire kindling from the center of the first floor. The man shed his coat and his shoes, wandering barefoot through the house. Tyler stood awkwardly at the door. Looking around the rich wooden walls that lined the house, the fire that flickered like a pair of flaming tongues and the several windows that lighted the home.

  "Well don't just stand there," the smaller man said, a friendlier tone replacing the proper one he had, "have a drink with me."

 Tyler slowly shuffled his feet as he walked around the fire and around the corner where the man just was. He poured into a sturdy, clearly handmade glass, a strange liquid that Tyler could only assume was poison. He drank none of it as the other man drank the whole cup and poured himself another.

 "You're peculiar," the man eventually said, "something about you speaks on a different level. You're not like the rest of those newbies, y'know?"

 Tyler said nothing and the man continued, "You've got a little gusto in you. That's all. You're absurdly tall. Check. You've got some build in you. Check. You've also got that resting bitch face, too. Another check." He finished his second cup. "My father is always on my case about getting myself a personal servant. I don't like to mistreat people like he does. Outside, he'd the leader of this colony. But in our house? He does as he so damn pleases. I know my father as well as he knows himself. I'll always be a mystery to him though. His last child without much hope."

 Tyler eyed the glass that sat on the wooden counter the stood between them.

  "Holy nether, take a damn drink. If I wanted to kill you I would've left you on the chopping block minutes ago." Tyler grabbed the cup, careful not to break its delicate work and took a sip. It was neither alcohol nor poisonous. It tasted sweet like a fruit. Tyler down the whole cup, wrongfully as the sudden wave of sweetness hit his throat and burned it with an intensity that left him coughing.

  "Damn, you're crazy. Clearly you've never had a Chromaka." The man chuckled.

  "A-a what?"

  "Doesn't matter. Let's start with the usual. I'm Ethan. I'm kind of a big deal around here," he stuck out his hand for Tyler to shake. He raised an eyebrow. Tyler sighed and took his hand and shook it firmly.

  "Tyler," He mumbled.

  "Tyler... I knew a Tyler once..." Ethan whispered as he let go of his hand. He shrugged. "He got his balls hacked off after sleeping with one of the nurses."

 Somehow, the words Ethan spoke hadn't terrified Tyler as much as the simplicity of the situation. Tyler followed Ethan.

  "Quick history of the colony: Once the Selection became the new big thing in this ridiculous society, a group of unfortunate souls that were sent here decided to keep warm by building a shelter. After multiple failed attempts, a group finally managed to build a small shack to shelter themselves for most of the time. Then they died. Then more people froze to death, followed by more, and more, and more. blah blah blah. Anyway, this colony is built off of the idea that 'All Decisions Come From The People And Pass Through The People'--"

  "That would explain the cheering?" Tyler suddenly interrupted. Ethan smiled at him.

  "Yeah. Anyway, we're like a perfect democracy. Every year, we have a week to go scout for all the new shipped people after the Selection. We bring them here and the rest are picked up by any of the other five colonies across the Tundras. We're the luckiest because we have a much less colder climate than the other colonies, therefore we can scavenge for wood more often, therefore we are at the top of the hierarchy. The Mountains are not as far ad you'd think. So it's no wonder why a lot of people that have been ostracized from there come to here with supplies."

 All while Ethan spoke, the two walked up to the third floor of the cabin where they walked through halls until they reached a door. Ethan opened it, revealing a surprisingly adequate bedroom. The bed, unfortunately, was merely just shredded wool held together by a series of knitted patterns. A blanket was draped over one side of the bed and there was a single chair with a little table next to the window. Tyler was relieved to see an actual pillow on the bed.

  "My father fought his way to the top, he's the leader of the colony. My older brother was sent off to the Mountains a few months ago to collect more supplies. He's due to come back soon enough. And I am his failure of a son."

 Tyler wanted to say something encouraging, but he realized he knew little of Ethan. In fact, all he knew was that Ethan was the son of the leader. Tyler held his tongue and waited for Ethan to finish.

  "And now, here we are. I saved your life, by the way. Not that it really matters, because you actually seemed like a different persona among the crowd of newbies, but I think that you'll be better off living here than in the camps." Ethan began to exit the room before stopping mid-step and turning around to speak again. "There will probably be a ceremony tomorrow or the day after. So don't panic when other maids and servants come barging into your room to take measurements and ask you silly questions. If you need anything, i'll be on the second floor with the red stained door. Or you can just whisper into the hole underneath your bed. My room is just below yours anyway."

 Ethan closed the door on that thought. Tyler sighed and sat on his 'bed'. This was all too much to take in. Tyler looked out the window to see that beyond the wooden walls was a storm of snow quickly approaching. Tyler laid his back down, relief coursing through his body at the softness of the material underneath him. He stared at the wooden points on the ceiling, trying not to lose his head over all that's happened in that brief morning. Tyler sat up and was wanting to go ask Ethan some questions before he heard voices on the other side of the door.

  "No, of course not, Kathryn. I'm not stupid."

  "Oh really. 'there's something different about you' oh please, you may fool the town but you can't fool me with your little act."

  "Kathryn, i'm just looking out for the guy. Save a soul for a change, y'know?"

  "This isn't a game, Ethan. There's no scorecard tallying how many souls you can save over the ones you've killed."

 There was silence for a second before Ethan spoke in response to the feminine voice.

  "That was not my fault and you know that."

  "Of course I know that, Ethan. But nobody else does. It's only a matter of time before they-- he's at the door."

 The sound of feet scuffling and rapid movements alerted Tyler. Sudden harsh footsteps coming towards his room alarmed him and he sprung to the side to admire the window. view.

 Ethan opened the door and peered in, giving Tyler a smile.

  "Sorry, just making sure you didn't jump out the window or something." He closed the door and walked away. Tyler now had more questions on top of the ones he originally wanted to ask. 

 All he could focus on now was the storm quickly approaching and the people he would be stuck with for the duration of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> questions, questions. AH YES. SO MANY QUESTIONS.  
> [EXCUSE THE TYPOS, MY EDITOR'S LAPTOP IS BROKEN SO]


	4. A Shelter, A Castaway, And A Whole Lot Of Information

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a storm and the eldest Nestor on the way, Ethan, Tyler and Kathryn prepare for the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM BAACK. HAI. HOW IS YAALLLLL.  
> HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER.  
> LOTS OF PLOT AND DIALOGUE AND SHIZ
> 
> YAAAyyyyy
> 
> My editor's still has a broken laptop. bear with me on this one...

 Tyler had grown used to his new home. The Colony, which he discovered had no true name to it, was larger than he had originally expected it to be. The walls surrounded the entire town, as if a fortress or such as a camp. Nearly everything in the town was made entirely out of wood. It was the only free supply that the Travelers could get to on the outskirts of the Mountains, Ethan had explained to Tyler one morning. The ground within the colony was still frozen, yet they somehow managed to dig four large tunnels that would shelter everybody in the case of a storm. The only cabin that was guaranteed to survive a storm was the Nurses Quarters, but they could only fit so many people in there that it was a designated area for the sick and the nurses. 

 Luckily, the Nestor's respectfully had their own shelter right behind their large house. Ethan spent most of his time going in and out of their shelter in order to prepare it for the oncoming storm. 

  "Occasionally, like once or twice a year, we have these grand storms that'll plow through the Western Tundra. We're smack in the middle of their trajectory, so we're probably one of the strongest colonies when it comes to withstanding these monsters," Ethan explained as he filled a crate in the kitchen with preserved treats. "I'm always tasked to get out Storm Shelter ready. Since, y'know, I never do anything anyways." Ethan continued to pile in jars upon jars inside the crate before he motioned for Tyler to come forward and help him carry the crate while he held four more jars between his arms. 

  "Do people die in these things? Like, what's the average fatality when it comes to these storms?" Tyler asked as they pushed through the back door and made their way into the biting, cold air. 

 Ethan merely chuckled. "Well, it kinda depends. We usually have at most two or three people die because they were being stupid so..." Ethan put down his cargo as he popped open the doors that led downward into the ground. He stepped three rungs down the ladder before reaching over and grabbing his jars as he climbed all the way down. Tyler simply handed him jar after jar as he climbed up and down the ladder until he placed the final jar on the shelf. 

  "So as you know by now, the Western Tundra has two colonies within its region: Us and the colony run by the Trident's. In the East, they rarely get any grand storm, there are two other colonies: Run by the Calvin's and the Lessler's. Then the northern colonies, the Hawkins' and the Walker's. We don't have anybody in the South. And if we do, we don't know about them. We are the biggest colony, therefore we have more people, therefore we hold the most power. Not only that, but we barely have a much less colder climate than the rest. We supply most of the wood that is brought from the Mountains.

  "We are technically at the top of this 'hierarchy', if you will. The Hawkins' are the next colony, they are on the far west of the Northern Tundra, which means they can reach the Mountains just as easily as us. The problem with them is that they have to go deeper into the Mountains to reach treelines and scavenge for wood. We, luckily, do not. We're tasked to supply the Calvin's and Trident's with supplies, Hawkins' does everybody else. We're too far from reach."

 The information swirled through Tyler's head, he hadn't realized how little he knew of how the Tundras actually worked. Tyler figured he didn't need to remember everything as he was merely just a servant. He did his best to remember key points, but it was all melting into a mess after a while.

  "Wait, how come nobody lives in the Southern Tundra?" Tyler asked, feeling as if he already knew the answer but wanted Ethan's clarification.

  "Too cold. Too stormy. Last time somebody tried going down there, we found their severed limbs flying in with the storms. Frozen to the bone. Literally."

 The temperature here already made Tyler shiver uncontrollably, the idea of living in the south made him become grateful for the cold here.

 The two men made their way back into the house throughout the conversation. Kathryn was out by the jutted rocks next to the house picking 'Chromas' as they were called. Some type of plant that somehow was able to grow in this uninhabitable weather, it apparently grew out of the specific rocks that were scattered all across the colony. She looked up occasionally, staring right at Tyler with a look that could only be described as pained. She closed her woven basket, collecting the last of the fresh Chromas and made her way inside. 

  "What's with Kathryn?" Tyler suddenly asked, interrupting Ethan's sentence. The other man smiled a little before happily changing subjects.

  "She was a castaway. The people in her town had convicted her of a crime she never committed. She managed to escape her death sentence and made her way out of the Mountains and into the Tundras. My brother and his crew had found her wrapped in a thick blanket and nearly frozen to death. She was probably a few minutes from hitting Frostbite. Anyway, they brought her here and in order to repay her gratitude she takes care of the house every time he's gone. Of course, that just means she lives here and does what most of the housemaids do, but it's the only way she's able to repay him."

 The subject was finished once she walked through the front door and slipped her scarf onto the wooden rack. She made her way into the kitchen where they sat and began to unload the fair stack of bright blue flowers. She dipped them in a wooden bucket of water, seeing as there was no way in chance that they'd have plumbing around here, and placed the flowers back on the counter in neat rows.

  The sound of the front door closing and boots thudding against the floorboards announced someone's unbeknownst presence. "Darling, we're home!" A voice shouted dramatically. A man with a scruff entered the kitchen, hands on his hips and a smile that could have brightened the gloom.

  "Holy Heavens, shut yer mouth before ye wake up the dead," a woman with short, brown hair hollered as she appeared next to him, unraveling a scarf from her neck.

  "Tyler, meet Jack and Signe. Jack and Signe, meet Tyler!" Ethan said, proud of his introduction. 

  "Oh! He has a name," Jack said, voice comically loud, "you're all the gossips in town whisper about."

  "What a way to frighten him, ye peanut," Signe scolded, smacking Jack's head. She made her way toward the table and stuck out her hand politely. "Sorry, he's a little dimwitted when nobody else wants to be."

  "Oy! I'm not dimwitted! You're dimwitted," Jack replied as he scratched his head where she had hit him. 

 Tyler said nothing, simply nodded and giving half-hearted smiles. Ethan, for the first time in all day, had kept his mouth closed. Jack and Signe bickering back and forth with Kathryn's occasional word of instruction for the two to help her sort out the flowers and set them in all in specified rows. Ethan simply kept his eyes glued to the window pane, the sight of the pale gray ground contrasting against the white speckled brown wall of wooden logs. Tyler found interest in the way the two accented people spoke, Kathryn's voice softer, Ethan's was jumbly and joyful.

  "I heard Andrew's almost here. Are you excited, Ethan?" Signe asked, taking a seat at the table, Jack pulling a chair next to her. Kathryn motioned with her hand for Tyler to follow her upstairs. Tyler slowly scraped his chair and stood up, making his way toward the woman with an intensity written on her face that it also made him anxious.

 She didn't speak any words as they walked upward, they were on the second floor when she directed him toward Ethan's room. She pushed open the door and made her way inside. Tyler looked around, seeing clothes strewn about and stray pieces of parchment paper lying underneath a single shoe. One thing similar to his own room was the large window that took up over half of the wall opposite the door. And finally, a single hole on the ceiling. 

  "I don't think you understand how dangerous your sudden timing is," Kathryn whispered, her voice delicate but her tone sharp, "Andrew is better than Ethan. This isn't my opinion, it's a well known fact. He's always one step ahead of Ethan and always one golden star better. Andrew is his father's golden child. Ethan is his failure."

  "What?" was all Tyler had time to say before Kathryn continued, sitting him on the bed while she paced across the room as quietly as possible.

  "Andrew is a Traveler. He brings the supplies from the Mountains because he's skilled and smart enough to lead a group of men into that dreadful cold. Ethan, however, is much more clever than his older brother. Andrew may be next in line to take over the colony, but Ethan's the backbone of this place. He administers the Storm Shelters, he's in charge of the Food Bank, he helps the poor, he shelters the children, and most importantly, he's always been honest with the people. Andrew will do whatever it takes to knock Ethan off whatever pedestal he's on. He has three slaves, now Ethan's got you. It'll be Andrew's mission to get rid of you as long as it means his little brother is beneath him."

 Tyler took in this information, swallowing it into his heart and allowing it to process in his brain.

  "Why are you telling me this?" Tyler asked first.

  "Because i'm getting you prepared. In case Andrew attacks you with anything, you'll have Ethan's reputation around the colony to back you up. Andrew's witty, but I can tell by the few words that you've spoken, you're just as witty, if not even more. You can shut Andrew's arguments in an instant. I'm asking you to shut down his attempts to derail Ethan. He doesn't need that anymore. It's time Andrew learns that his brother isn't as low as he wishes he was."

  "But why? If what you're saying is all true, Ethan can pretty much handle his own argument against his brother. Why would some servant shut down Andrew's argument faster than his own family?" 

 Kathryn stopped her pacing to repeat his words in her mind. She turned to face the servant and proceeded to stare out the large window. After a minute of silence, she faced the expectant man again. 

  "Because he's scared."

 She left the room with those single words hanging in the air. What Andrew was so scared of, Tyler was bound to know. But for now, he simply exited the youngest Nestor's room and followed her downstairs to proceed with the conversations.

* * *

 

 It wasn't even dawn when he felt something wake him. He cracked open his eyes just enough to see a figure in his bed. He jolted upright, his eyes snapping open enough to adjust to the darkness. Ethan sat upright, putting his hands on the bulkier man's shoulders to calm him. Tyler's shoulders remained tense, yet a wave of relief filled his body when he realized it was merely him.

  "Sorry. I tried to whisper your name but you were out," Ethan whispered, a softness in his voice that Tyler wasn't familiar to, "I just... I couldn't sleep. I figured you were awake at this hour. The sunrises calm me."

There it was again. Another jumbled word: 'sunrise'. How come Tyler never heard the term before? Was its opposite what the guards had said before? 'Sunset'? The question had an opportunity to be asked, so he did.

  "I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with the term 'sunrise'. It's when... the sun goes over the horizon, right?" Tyler asked, voice sheepish and curious. Ethan's shocked expression made him regret the question altogether before he gave a tiny smile.

  "Yeah. Sunset is when the sun... well.. it sets. Hehe, and the Sunrise is when the sun comes back up," Ethan replied. Tyler's mind was blown by the information. "There's also Moonset and Moonrise. Twilight and Dawn. Nightfall and Daybreak..." Ethan furrowed his brow in the middle of his examples. "How come you've never heard these terms before? Where do you come from?"

  "Well I come from a tiny town where it's separated into Sectors and then separated within Grids. My neighborhood was Sector Six. One grid is four houses. I lived in Grid 23," Tyler usually hated explaining this information back at home, but here it felt like it just rolled off his tongue like a rhyme. "There's a huge city right next to our town. It used to be called Cincinnati, Ohio. But now it's just referred to as Buckeye City. Citadel 29 hovers over it."

 Ethan, too, was shocked by this information. He's heard of these 'Sectors' and 'Citadels' before, but never quite understood what they mean.

  "I'm new to all this. I was born here. That's why i'm not as densely clothed as you and Kathryn. I'm used to the cold," Ethan replied. There was a genuine smile on his face this time. They looked over at the storm, its dark gray matter and occasional shift in spiraling pattern, its presence looming closer to the colony.

  "I hope that storm gets here sooner than later. That way we can get it over with."

They heard something akin to shouting downstairs, their heads whipping towards the door. A series of footsteps and exclamations bounced off the thick walls when Kathryn burst into his room. She slammed the door behind her and swiped the hair off her head as she crossed the room in a thick night gown.

  "He's here. Son-of-a-bitch, he's here," she whispered angrily as she dug through Tyler's box-closet. She pulled out a pair of clothes for Tyler to change into, which he did with his brain barely awake. "Ethan?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

 But the aforementioned man was frozen in his place, eyes wide and heart beating wildly.

  "Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck," he cursed as he sprung out of bed and darted for the door only to hear the loud footsteps.

  "Ethan changed rooms? Why is he so far up here?" a voice boomed over the door. The door began to open before Ethan kicked it shut with his foot, taking the others by surprise. "Holy Nether, what was that?"

  "Shit." Tyler barely slipped on the last sock onto his foot when the door sprang open, knocking Ethan down as the tall figure loomed into the room. Kathryn swallowed her own curse just in time when Andrew Nestor himself stepped through the door.

  "Ethan--! Oh, who's this? A new housemaid?" Andrew had a smile on his face as he said it.

  Kathryn and Tyler were taken aback by Ethan's response. "No, he's actually my personal slave." The words cut through the air like an axe, the tension in the room was augmented at Ethan's sudden sharp tone. A tone that Tyler might have been scared to be at the end of. Andrew's smile quivered, he clasped his hands together.

  "Father, can I have a moment with Ethan and... the others? I'm just so excited to tell them about my adventures," Andrew said, voice casual. The other three in the room weren't fooled by the sudden anger hidden behind his words. His father closed the door and Andrew was stuck in place. Ethan began to scuffle onto his feet before Andrew grabbed him by his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

  "Andrew!" Kathryn hissed, taking a step forward with her hands curled.

  "Oh little brother, how I've missed you so... much," he gnarled, tossing Ethan like a rag doll onto the bed. Tyler stepped in front of the bed, lifting his chin towards the older Nestor.

  "Don't touch him," Tyler said, crossing his arms over his chest, feet planted firmly where he stood. Andrew merely chuckled.

  "Get out of my way, slave," He said, cracking his neck side to side.

  "You touch him, I'll make sure to break that neck a little further," Tyler growled, "we'll meet you downstairs when we're ready."

 Andrew was hit with Tyler's anger. The man simply kept a dangerous smile on his face as he backed away.

  "Haha, you're ballsy, slave. Unlike my brother here. You've also got the nerve to stand up to me, don't you?" Andrew spit in Tyler's face. "Hell, by the time this is over, you might change your mind and come to me. Another slut to my collection." Andrew stalked off and gently closed the door behind him as to not alert anybody downstairs. 

 Kathryn reacted first, letting out a sigh of relief and unclenching her fists. Ethan smacked Tyler's shoulder.

  "what the holy nether is your problem? You're going to get yourself killed!" Ethan hissed. Tyler did nothing as he took a deep breath and let his anger flow out of him.

  "Tyler, you're picking a fight with the wrong man. He'll crush you, then he'll crush Ethan too," Kathryn whispered, hand on his arm. Tyler shook her off and shrugged.

  "As long as he doesn't touch Ethan, that's fine by me. Cocky little shit thinks he can just show up and start beating the hell out of his little brother? Not in my book."

 Ethan and Kathryn glanced at one another before staring at Tyler in both awe and curiosity.

  "Besides," Tyler said, cracking his knuckles, "I'm just a Sweet, Little, Unforgivable Thing." He opened his bedroom door and made his way down. Ethan and Kathryn stared at where he left before shaking their heads.

  "I think you picked a psychopath to serve you," Kathryn mumbled as she went out the door.

  "Really? I think I got a 'sweet, little, unforgivable thing'," Ethan replied.

  "Let's fucking hope so."

 The door closed one last time before they joined the rest of the house at the base of the stairs. A storm was coming, and not the one outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE UNDERSTAND that this is merely an AU and I have no actual knowledge of Ethan and his brother's relationship. I'm sure Andrew Nestor is actually a vv nice man in real life and if anybody trashes me for these alternate characters Im about to F L I P


	5. Andrew's Doing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions rise within the colony and the Nestor household as two dominating storms threaten their lives. And one of them is Andrew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TIME. FOR. SOME. DRAAAAMMMAAAA  
> and a lot of unnecessary plot. woops. (Can you tell I had writer's block?)  
> ENJOOYYYY

  "Where'd you find him?"

 The question rang through the kitchen as they ate their breakfast. Jack and Signe just sat down to eat their food, meely because the housemaids always ate last. Kathryn tried her best to scoop piping hot potatoes into her mouth to avoid snapping at Andrew. Tyler never spoke. Ethan and his father were the only ones left to answer the question.

  "With the new Scraps," Ethan's father said, relieving Ethan. 

  "Hmm. Are you thinking of picking up some more at the ceremony tomorrow?" Andrew asked. Ethan shrugged.

  "Not sure, I don't really want to get three. I need to spend more time focusing on the people rather than on personal servants," Ethan replied, stabbing at a cut of his potato, smiling down the table to his brother.

  "Right, right. And how's that going for you?"

 Jack fanned himself dramatically, earning suppressed laughter from Tyler and Signe. Andrew glanced at them darkly before returning to his facade of enjoyment. Signe raised an eyebrow and pretend to gut herself with her fork underneath the table. Jack giggled.

  "He's actually doing just fine. With that storm coming and all, Ethan's been hammering down each and every wooden peg around town. He's making sure not a single person loses so much as a splinter from their house, ain't that right Ethan?" His father remarked, clapping Ethan's back proudly. Andrew merely smiled and continued to eat.

  "And what do you do around the house?"

 Tyler was busy separating the scolding potato slices from the warmer ones. He felt Jack nudge him and he looked up, seeing everybody's eyes were on him. "Sorry, what was the question?"

 Jack nudged his leg again and Tyler raised an eyebrow at the man. Andrew inhaled deeply and set his fork down, a tiny clink resounding.

  "Don't speak to me that way. You refer to any of us as 'sir', 'master', or 'ruler'," Andrew spoke calmly, almost professionally. The malice in his voice made Jack stare down at his own plate in shame, but Tyler didn't even flinch. "Do you understand, _slave_?"

  "Personal Servant," Ethan bit back, "Andrew he is my servant to begin with. Your rules are from the depths of the nether and father has already agreed that Tyler may speak however he wishes within the walls of our home."

  "He's filth, Ethan. Vermin. I won't stand for something like him to speak to me like that," Andrew replied, anger rising in his throat.

  "If he was another townsman in our colony, you would greet him just as pleasantly as the next one. But just because of a title that i've placed upon him you treat him like scum," Ethan snapped, fork tightly held in his hand. Andrew rose from the table and stared down at Ethan before pointing a finger at Tyler.

  "That is not what this is about. Your _slave_ has a look in his eyes that only the witches from the Nether brew. His eyes are poisoned with the generosity and lust of a man who dares sleep with another man. He is an abomination and you've brought it into our home."

 Everyone's eyes darted back to Tyler who stared at Andrew with a cold stare. 'Stonefaced', Ethan called it. Ethan rose from the table and slammed his utensil on the table and glared directly at his older brother. Ethan usually had a sympathetic and care-free expression on his face everywhere he went. But this... this was a hatred and fury that Tyler had never seen and he was scared to be at the end of it. Andrew's stare was much more intense, with a dark gaze on his eyes and the way his jaw clenched to show he was ready to strike like a serpent.

  "Boys, sit down. This is supposed to be a time of rejoice, not a time of anger. Sit down, both of you and finish your meals. You can fight about it when we've excused ourselves from the table," their father insisted. Now it became a competition of who was the independent man. Whoever sat first, would clearly be keen to obeying orders, proving them weak. After what seemed like a minute of tense silence, their father slammed his hand on the table, snapping them out of their hateful gaze. "NOW!"

 They sat down at the same time. Tyler let go of the air he held up to his chest. They were close to finishing their meal. Andrew returned to his facade and spoke to Kathryn and his father every now and then, Ethan whispering to Signe occasionally when she'd ask about chores. Andrew and his father finished first. They rose from the table and placed their glass plates next to the water bucket. Kathryn was next. Ethan and Signe were not too far after. All who remained were the servant and the housemaid.

  "Andrew's merely a homophobe," Jack whispered when Andrew left through the front door with his father, "he just finds distaste in them. Rumor has it, it was a homosexual disease that plagued their mother." Jack shook his head solemnly at the memory of the woman. Ethan never spoke of his mother. Tyler just assumed she had been with Andrew, but apparently she succumbed to a disease.

  "Yeah. She was a nice woman. When we were children, she had brought us candies and baked goods from the local baker. We were merely orphans," Signe added as she swiped he plates with a simple cloth dipped in the water bucket.

 Signe crept from where she stood by the elevated bucket and moved toward the men where they sat. "You never heard it from us, but rumor as it that Ethan himself might be homosexual," Signe whispered. Jack coughed and nodded his head and finger vigorously.

  "Yes, yes. That's true. But ther's no need to worry 'bout him making any advances towards ye. He merely hides it within the robes in his armoire," Jack whispered, the two giggling furiously. Tyler understood that as a 'in the closet' joke. He merely smiled.

  "Then of course, he might with you because you too hide your truths within your armoire as well."

 Tyler stared at them quietly and they both giggled.

  "You're not sly, Ty-ler. Andrew was right when he said he'd seen it in your eyes. Ye do tend t' linger when'er Ethan walks away."

 The two irishmen giggled furiously and Tyler had to hide his blush. Jesus christ, was it that obvious? They heard footsteps on the third floor and then trampling down the stairs. Ethan and Kathryn rushed past them both with their cloaks fluttering behind them as they stormed out the front door, slamming it in the process. Jack and Signe stared at one another with raised eyebrows. Jack finished and carried Tyler's plate away. Then they did chores.

* * *

  "There is no reason for us to sit like ducks in a pond and wait for this fool to catch us in a lie," Kathryn hissed. "Your brother will have your head if you don't throw him into the auction," Kathryn hissed. 

  "He'll have my head if I bid him back!" Ethan replied, hands raised behind his head as he paced around Tyler's room. 

  "Ethan, your head is ready to be chopped and placed on a pike. If Andrew assumes that you're only with Tyler just for your own selfish, unresolved purposes, then he'll expose you and have you killed. Or worse, ostracized," Kathryn held onto Ethan's shoulders as she told him this. His eyes and her eyes darted back and forth before she let go. The concern in her eyes was real, but the reality of the situation was not. And that was something Ethan needed her to see.

  "What if the storm crashes the ceremony?" Ethan asked. Kathryn scoffed. "I'm serious. This could fix a lot of things. There is no worry at all. Hell, Tyler could even redeem himself by showing acts of mercy and saving people or something," Ethan said, a little bit on the side of hope.

 Kathryn merely shook her head. "Speaking of ceremony, we need to go pick up the robes that Mr. Franklin has prepared. Just for us." Kathryn made her way out of Tyler's room and went to fetch their cloaks. Ethan remained and stared out the grand window. The sight was always one Ethan fascinated himself with. Right now he just stared out across the bare gray plains and saw the storm was definitely a lot closer. His house creaked more often and sometimes he felt like it had a gravitational pull on him. Ethan sighed. He looked over at Tyler's bed, still undone from when they woke up at the godawful hour that morning.

 Ethan made his way over and grabbed one of the tussled sheets, holding it up to his nose. He inhaled Tyler's scent and let it fill his nose. He exhaled and dropped the sheet. Was it true? Did he really just choose Tyler because he was lonely? Ethan shook the idea out of his mind. Yet his problem was that he failed to ever get the handsome servant out of his thoughts. And it scared him. Scared him that his brother would have him executed for his mere thoughts.

 Kathryn returned and they heard something crash, like rubble. They turned around and looked out the window to see that there were large rocks tumbling from outside their walls into their wooden fences. The wall could withstand anything, that wasn't their worry. Their worry was in the fact that this storm might be approaching faster than expected. They threw on their cloaks and sped down the stairs out of the house, and surely enough, the winds could have blown them back if they were dead weight. 

  "Shit! Where's your father?" Kathryn asked, the wind whipping violently. The single banner that they nailed to the front porch was blowing violently. 

  "He's out touring with Andrew. Quick, we have to go to the Nurses Quarters and then to Franklin's!" Ethan replied as they began their difficult journey across. Kathryn's hair, which was usually tucked neatly into a bun on her head has been blown into a messy array of stray hairs that shrouded her face. She stumbled and tried to keep her balance against the strong winds. Ethan merely powered through like it was a hike.

 Reaching the small, fairly tall cabin that was the Nurses Quarters was a bit of a challenge, but they finally arrived. Ethan opened the door and Kathryn smoothed her hair back as she stepped in.

  "Here to warn us about the storm, Nestor?" An older woman asked, wrapped in a white cloak and a single red cross tattooed onto the back of her hands. Ethan nodded. She already knew he did as she huffed without looking up from the parchment paper she analyzed. "Amy's got you covered. She's over on bed number Six."

 Ethan and Kathryn made their way over to the specified bed where a fairly tall woman with striking blonde hair sat, staring down at a parchment paper with tons over tons of numbers and facts on it.

  "Are you Amy?" Ethan asked, voice professional and elegant. She rose her head, a pair of friendly eyes meeting his.

  "Yeah." She said, standing up and sticking her hand out. "State your patient, occupation, and your own name if you could please. And you can take a seat right here," Amy motioned for Kathryn to sit but neither of them moved.

  "He's a Nestor," Kathryn said, tilting her head in a mock-polite way, which was just a dreadful warning. Amy recomposed herself as her eyes widened.

  "Oh my god, sir. I am so sorry. Um, what is your business. With- uh -me? Sir?" She asked, clearly flustered. Ethan smirked.

  "You're the woman that's supposed to lead me through our protocol on how to prepare for this storm," Ethan replied, "unless, of course, you're unprepared and unqualified for the task."

  "Yes-- no, of course not-- I can direct you through it. Um, follow me through the back," Amy declared as she led the way past series of beds before exiting through a small door and battling back against the wind. Amy snatched her cloak from a rack on her way out and slipped it over her shoulders, tying a knot over her breasts as if the wind was not a bother. Their cloaks flapped wildly with the wind and Amy's hair flowed flawlessly behind her, as opposed to Kathryn's bird nest.

  "Where are we heading?" Ethan asked, eyeing the roads to spot his relatives.

  "We're going to one of your shelters. This shelter has been fairly pampered and expanded just enough for 70 people to fit inside, with arm room. Scrunched together, we can fit almost 90," Amy explained as they stood between two cabins, halting the wind from pushing against them.

  "Almost?"

  "With children, 90. With just adults... hmm, give or take 85."

 Ethan raised his chin in continuation and Amy led them to the door that was bolted into the ground. She spun around and extended her arms back to where they came.

  "As you can see, there are clear indicators of where the people can find the nearest shelter. All shelters, other than your own of course, have such indicators and will lead to a greater chance of housing each man, woman, and child. Nurses and Librarians will be attending each shelter. One brave soul will be selected to print across the entire colony, wall-to-wall in order to make sure nobody is left behind. Those that choose to stay in their own homes hold great risk, that is their chance to take. This specified person will then be sprinting towards your shelter. You must house them. Understood?" Amy asked. Ethan nodded and Kathryn tried to hold her hair down.

 Amy led them away and back into the strong winds, and into the main square. The large scaffold remained near the center, pushed backward toward the entrance to the small Library. Amy extended her arms once again.

  "In case of the storm wrecking the ceremony, there are clear flags planted toward each shelter, except your own. Green is for the Southeastern Shelter. Orange for the Southwestern. The Red flag indicates the shelter we were just at, the Northwestern Shelter. And the Blue flag is planted next to Gerald Franklin's home, where the Centered Shelter is. The Centered shelter is still, unfortunately, peppered with those pesky pebbles on its ceiling, so we've issued anybody that goes inside takes a blanket of some sort."

 Ethan nodded his head with her explanation and asked they be returned to the Nurses Quarters. When they arrived, she returned to the bed and she handed them two blankets and a basket filled with food. 

  "I suggest you take these," Amy said, before leaning in to whisper, "Ethel is concerned this might be the toughest storm yet, so we might be holed up for a while."

 Ethan gave a single nod and Kathryn took the basket and blanket. Amy wished them farewell and they headed off to Franklin's.

 Kathryn managed to keep her hair down as they walked off into Franklin's shop/home. Ethan's presence flustered the old man as he went around the counter and shook his hand. 

 "Dearest Nestor, how are you? It's such a surprise to see you," Franklin smiled and proceeded to shake Kathryn's. "What brings you both here? Is it the robes?"

 Kathryn nodded and he went back around the counter to fetch them from a closet. Returning, he laid out the beautifully, stitched robes with a bright blue and orange that would be considered scandalous if worn by anybody else. He then retrieved a matching, blue and orange dress that was meant for Kathryn. Hers was not as bright as Ethan's.

  "A-and I heard you've gotten yourself a servant. So I've prepared this as well," the man said as he fetched a second robe, with a soft blue and orange spirals at its hem. Ethan smiled.

  "These are beyond amazing. I thank you, Gerald," Ethan said as he handed them to Kathryn. 

  "Please, just call me Franklin. The only few that call me Gerald are all dead now anyway," he said, smile bright and full of wisdom. Ethan gave a farewell and headed off back home, the richest of clothing in tow as they battled the fierce winds once more.

* * *

 Tyler, Jack, and Signe were all holed up laughing and singing old melodies that they remember from their hometowns when they heard a knock on the front door. Jack stood up and went to open it, only to find the need to slam it closed. Mark Nestor stepped inside, his eldest son right behind him and they shrugged off their cloaks and hung them on the nearby rack.

  "I thank you, once again, Father. I'm glad to see this town's fully functioning as it always is," Andrew said, hugging his father. The older man merely chuckled.

  "Of course. And you have your brother to thank for it, too. He may not be as courageous as you, but he does help me keep this colony standing firmly on its permafrost," the ruler chuckled.

 Andrew hid the falter of his smile.

  "Of course, we're all so... very thankful for him."

 Tyler and the maids eavesdropped, but remained quiet from where they peeled the potatoes. Andrew walked over, boots firmly meeting the floorboards underneath. He grabbed one of the potatoes and analyzed it carefully, looking over at Tyler with a judgmental frown. He hummed at their work and proceeded to head upstairs. Jack rolled his eyes and Signe lifted a single middle finger once Andrew turned his back. Tyler smiled and the other two merely butted their knuckles together. Tyler couldn't help but remember the days he and Wade would always be up to shenanigans like the irishmen would. 

 Later that evening, Tyler found himself in Ethan's room again. He was instructing everybody on what needed to be prepared in case the Storm came early. He went through all the protocols. Andrew and his father asked occasional questions, shockingly, Andrew didn't bother trying to find a flaw in his plan at all. He excused everybody when he finished, grabbing Tyler's shoulder and whispering for him to stay back. Everybody slowly exited the room until it was just the two of them.

  "Yes, sir?" Tyler asked obediently, hands behind his back, obediently waiting. Ethan winced at the term.

  "Stop that," Ethan mumbled.

  "Stop what?"

  "Stop behaving like that. It bothers me," Ethan replied. 

  Tyler let go of his posture and relaxes his arms at his side. Ethan kept his back to him as he closed the door and proceeded to step towards the window. He was awfully quiet, contrasting to how Ethan was always bubbly and talkative when it was just them. But there was an anxiety to Ethan that left Tyler curious.

  "This storm is approaching. Faster than many others. Repeat to me the main objective for evacuation around the household," Ethan demanded, voice still professional and brusque. Tyler didn't question it, figuring that this must be the way things would be now that Andrew's around. All work, no more fun.

  "Ring the bell on the top floor and announce to the house that we're in Zone 4. I'd help the housemaids prop all and any boards to cover the windows. Then I will assist Kathryn with shutting every door in the house and hiding all the armoire's in the kitchen. Once we enter Zone 3 I will administer complete evacuation of the house and send everybody to the shelter. I will wait outside regardless of the Zone until the Nurse arrives and we will enter the shelter last," Tyler said, recounting everything in his head just to make sure.

  "And?" Ethan asked. Tyler shuddered.

  "And... if the Nurse never arrives, it is my duty to find her and bring her to the shelter. Without her, I am locked out and must fend for myself," Tyler replied, the last bit slowly declining in volume. Tyler was praying that whoever the nurse was better hurry.

  "This is the way things are Tyler. As long as my brother's here... you are nothing more but filth." Ethan turned and stared directly at Tyler with eyes as dark as the storm approaching. "Do you understand me? You are scum. You eat last. You will no longer eat with us on the table. You will wake up early every morning to clean and prepare the kitchen for the morning meal. You have no right to speak unless spoken to."

  Tyler was staring down at Ethan, feeling his anger start to rise as he realizes this wasn't Ethan's doing at all. It was Andrew's.

  "Ethan--"

  "You will refer to us as 'Sir', 'Master' or 'Ruler'. You... you must kneel at my side whenever we stand in ovation in public. Whenever we bow to my father, you must touch your forehead to the ground--"

  "Ethan, this isn't you--"

  "--You may not have whatever food remains on my plate. You must throw it away along with whatever food you have not finished. You must--"

  "Ethan..." Tyler growled, walking towards the smaller man and looming over him threateningly.

  "--AND most importantly!" Ethan shouted into Tyler's face at this point, "YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY RIGHTS WHATSOEVER, SLAVE."

 Tyler's nose flared and he breathed directly into Ethan's face. The latter looked pained by the words he had just recited. His heart heavy and his stomach mixed. Tyler stood back and sat on the bed, keeping his eyes on the floor. Ethan put a hand to his forehead and took a deep breath.

  "He's done it." A voice mumbled, on the floor above them. The sound of footsteps reverberating from the floorboards above them notified Andrew and his father's presence that entire time. The sound of a door shutting ended Ethan's pain.

  "I'm sorry, Tyler," he whispered. Tyler raised his head and stared at Ethan in shock.

  "They've really got you under their thumb, don't they?" Tyler asked, voice devoid of sympathy.

  "With enough time... I'll fix this and get you out of here. I promise," Ethan whispered, a tear sliding out of his eye. Tyler rose from the bed and shook his head at Ethan in disdain.

 Ethan took a deep breath and watched as Tyler headed for the door, ready to leave. But the smaller man quickly ran up and grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around. Tyler was about to ask what the hell he was doing before he felt Ethan wrap his arms around his neck and kiss him abruptly.

 Tyler was... confused? Pissed? Shocked? Confused? Pitiful? Surprised? Confused??

 There was a lot going on in Tyler's head when Ethan kissed him. When he let go, Ethan wiped the tear from his cheek and he gave Tyler's hand a single shake. His words of "I won't break this promise" confused Tyler even more. But the pinnacle of the servant's confuse was that he never bothered to push Ethan off of him. He found himself kissing back.

 They opened the door and stepped out of Ethan's room to join the rest of the house in the evening's activities. Kathryn waited at the top of the stairs with a battered and used rosary in her hand. Once they were gone, she slipped it into her boot and followed them. A house that big holds twice as many secrets. In due time will they be discovered... all in due time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YALL WE GOT OURSELVES A FIRST KISS SCENE. AAAHHHH AAAHHHH  
>  Questions you might have:   
> \- Why tf is Kathryn holding a Rosary?  
> \- What's Andrew planning?  
> \- What's is Amy talking about?  
> \- WHAT WAS THAT KISS?!
> 
> all will be answered next chapter, my loves. Catcha later ;P


	6. The Ceremony | Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm has never been expressed so beautifully as this. A peaceful, elegant ceremony with councilmen and rulers from the Western colonies of the Tundras are here. The tables are set, the scaffold is ready, and Ethan faces a crisis regarding Tyler's safety/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a mildly vivid rape scene in this but it's not... like... upfront. This took me a while to write bc yknow. Writers block. oh welp.

 The next morning brought Tyler and unsettling feeling when he woke up. His eyes slowly cracked open, his room as cold as always, Tyler felt that one side of his bed felt warmer then usual, yet it was empty. Then he heard a violent knocking at the door and he assumed that his morning just began. 

  "Hurry up, slave," Tyler could hear Ethan shout. Tyler felt his stomach churn at the name. "We've got a big day ahead of us!"

 Tyler groaned and slowly rose from his blanket and into the freezing cold. He looked outside in surprise to see that the storm looked farther than the day before. The house ceased to creak and groan so loudly. Tyler felt relief and was glad he wouldn't have to die anytime soon. He went over to his armoire box, pulling out his regular robes, tossing them over his arm and heading upstairs to take his bath. The Nestor's had a system in which water from an unknown source was hauled to the very top of the house. At the beginning of every week he and Kathryn would be able to use it in the morning, heated up by a fire they've managed to control in a wooden lodge.

 He closed the door to the small room behind him and dropped his belongings on the chair beside the large plastic tub-looking bowl in the middle of the spacious room. He dropped his trunks and let himself soak into the luke-warm water. The fire was off, probably Kathryn's doing, and he let himself relax for just a few seconds. He allowed his body to relax and just take a single moment of peace. After he felt satisfied from his peace, Tyler began to wash himself with the single brush that would clean him. There was a small bar of soap left underneath the tub, a secret Kathryn let him know that she had stolen from a shop once. They're extremely expensive, and the ones that were in the house were all stockpiled in Andrew's room, where he unfortunately resided in now that he had returned.

 Andrew.

 It left a bitter feeling inside Tyler to think about the man. Maybe today would change things, just maybe. His bath ended too quickly and Tyler looked down at his hands to see the small wrinkles at his fingertips. He grimaced, thinking back to raisins at the sight and pulling himself out of the water with a small splash. The door was thrown open and Ethan entered, a scroll in his hands and determination on his face before it fell to shock. Tyler, who was typically self-conscious whenever he was naked, simply stood his ground, even though on the inside he was telling himself to cover himself and show some decency. 

 Ethan stared at Tyler's body, eyes trailing down from his neck down to his legs. His eyes widened as they trailed down but he held his words as he moved his eyes back up to meet Tyler's face.

  "I-uhh- I suggest you dress soon because we need... we need to do you-- I mean, we need to go over the day. So-- uh -- whenever you're well and dressed just... meet me in my bedroom," Ethan stuttered his way through his sentence before he exited and closed the door behind him. 

 Tyler's body sagged in relief, he felt embarrassed but at the same time proud of himself for making it through that conversation. _You mean you were proud that he caught you naked?_ he thought to himself. Tyler held his thoughts from wandering as he dried and dressed himself. Stepping out of the room back into the cold and seeing the rosary Kathryn was holding yesterday night. He picked it up, seeing the letters in her name were carved into each small wooden stub. He eyed it up and down, it looked it was made by a child. Tyler raised it up to look at it closer only for it to snatched out of his hands. Kathryn, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, stuffed it into her boot and smacked Tyler across the face.

  "Don't pick up things that aren't yours," she snapped as she stomped away and went into her designated room. Tyler, rubbing his cheek, was further thrown into confusion as to the day ahead of him. He made his way towards Ethan's room where he found him mulling over a series of scripts that were laid upon a small wooden desk.

  "Kathryn, can you get Tyler? And make sure he's dressed," Ethan muttered, not bothering to look behind him.

  "I'm here, _sir._ " Tyler emphasized how he addressed the other man. Ethan physically flinched at the word. Tyler smirked and made his way next to Ethan, obediently putting his arms behind his back as he stood a distance from the smaller man.

  "Here's how the day's going to go. You will be sent with the other servants. I have signed the papers that declare you are up for sell. My brother will escort you to the cabin housing the rest of the slaves and you will then be dressed accordingly and tend to the guests as they arrive. You will then be put up for auction and I will buy you again. If somebody else buys you, there is no worry as myself or my father can strike a deal and exchange you in return of anything or anybody else. Afterwards you will assist cleaning up the festivities and you will return here.

  "This storm will propel back to us, when this happens will be unbeknownst to us. You must remain calm and remember your objectives. You will enter the shelter last, am I clear?" Ethan asked, voice professional and brusque.

  "Yes," Tyler replied, earning the second smack across the face that day. "Yes, sir!" Tyler exclaimed as he held his ground and merely looked into Ethan's eyes. There was only pain and mercy in Ethan's eyes, but he was being held a puppet by the invisible strings of his damned brother. Tyler did his best not to strike back.

* * *

  Once Ethan excused him and sent him off with his best robes, Andrew walked down to the rest of the town with Tyler at his side, dutifully with his arms in front and his shame hanging over him as Andrew strung two leather bracelets with the word "House Slave" embroidered in a delicate gold thread. Andrew walked lavishly, almost cocky with a big stride and his legs leading the way. His hands looped under his leather belt and his smirk burning bright against Tyler's stonecold expression. 

  "It's a beautiful day for a ceremony isn't it?" Andrew asked, voice tranquil and almost friendly. Tyler said nothing as he knew responding would lead to a scathing reply. 

 They finally reached the cabin, which looked like a whore house from a mile away with men and women strewn across the porch, tattered shorts up to their thighs, cigarettes in between their fingers, and their shirts cut off right below their chests. Andrew pushed Tyler forward, unbuckled the leather bracelets and whistled with his fingers.

 A man, almost hypnotically handsome, emerged from the open door and smiled. He trampled down the two steps and brought Andrew in for a brief hug, clapping his back as he did so.

  "Andrew, my man, back from the barren cold I see," the man said as they stood apart. Andrew shrugged.

  "I got another one for you, throw him into the auction today," Andrew said, noting Tyler's presence with a cock of his head. 

  "Oh yeah, your brother's slave, he's pretty darn popular around here. He'll do numbers today at the ceremony," the man said, glancing at Tyler. Andrew slightly growled and shoved Tyler forward a little harder than he should have.

  "Whatever. He's all yours," Andrew mumbled as he walked away. The man spoke to Tyler in a cheery tone, his voice friendly and professional. Tyler did not hear a word he said as they walked in, his mind on other things. Like how much he wished he could be at the house peeling potatoes with the Irish maids. Instead, Tyler was sent towards an empty bunk near the end of the cabin, which was strangely light by several kerosene lamps in various colors. Tyler analyzed the one next to his bed and noticed how the glass was tainted. 

  "Who's the new meat?" A woman asked, sitting next to Tyler. She trickled a hand down his leg and Tyler swatted it away. "Ooh, he likes playing dirty, I can be dirty too honey," she whispered as she pushed Tyler against the bed and straddled his legs. A man pulled her hair and she flew off the side of the bed. The woman shouted as the man seemingly hit her and she scattered somewhere else. Tyler, already terrified of the situation, was afraid his savior would end up becoming the next predator to hit on him. 

 When the man came into light, Tyler felt like he vaguely recognized him. His face had jagged features, his face appeared calm, relaxed. He had raven-black hair that was messily swept to one side of his head. He had a scruff, his jawline stood out the most, his face crafted like it was meant to leave a mark on a painting.

  "Careful, you'll get eaten alive around here," the man said, voice smooth but gruff. He helped Tyler sit up and he sat beside him, eyes scanning their backs before returning to Tyler. "I'm surprised you've made it this far, the second I met you I figured you'd die in the wilderness. Hell, who would've thought we'd end up in the same damn place?"

 Tyler finally realized who this was. It was the man he had encountered in the cell right before his Test. His hair looked properly swept to one side, his stubble looked cleaner, trimmed to near perfection. His eyes still held the craze that Tyler originally encountered when they first met, yet a sincerity masked it. 

  "You ended up here?" Tyler asked, referencing the cabin. The man chuckled.

  "Oh please, better than wherever you must have ended up," he said.

  "I ended up with the Nestor's," Tyler said, voice cold. The man attempted to hide his surprise behind a stoic expression, but Tyler could see the surprise in his eyes. Damn, this guy must be hard to read from a distance.

 The man merely smiled at Tyler and clapped his hands together. "Name's Mark, by the way," he said before he stood up, the bed and floorboards creaking as he walked away. Tyler was sitting still, letting the music outside slide into a dull noise as his thoughts filled his mind.

  _What was life going to be like for me now? Was I going to be a slave for the rest of my life? Could I escape? Could Ethan help me escape?_ were some of the biggest questions Tyler was scared to ask himself. Then there was _What was going to happen if I got sold off to somebody else? What happens if the storm kills them all? Why did Ethan kiss me?_

 The last question scared Tyler the most. Why _did_ Ethan kiss him? The action was so sudden, yet it held a meaning behind it. Was it a typical form of apology? Or was it Ethan's way to apologize?

 Tyler was ready to dive into the questions before he felt a bag cover his face and pairs of arms pull him away from the comfort of the bed. His legs fumbled against the floor, resulting in his legs dragging along uselessly as he kicked in any direction. Shit, was this a kidnapping?! Tyler then felt himself being thrown onto something soft, like another mattress. He reached to pull off the mask off his face before he felt his arms being pulled against his shoulder blades and held back with a zip-tie. Then he felt a tug at his robes.

 What came next left Tyler in a state of panic. He was swinging his legs in every way possible, finally striking somebody's legs as he heard a shout. A fist connected with the side of his face and a steel-toed boot with his stomach. Tyler groaned and remained weak against the cold cement floor. The smell of cigarettes still filled his nose and the taste of blood in his mouth. His mind was fuzzy, in a state of numbness as he felt the violation. They tossed the hem of his robes over his back and his underwear ripped. He remembers being picked up and thrown against the mattress without resistance. He was motionless. Somebody shoved a cloth against his mouth and nose, the smell filling his senses and his body going limp. 

 The mattress he was on rocked with his predator's movements. The way he felt his body digging further into the blanket, his mind closing in. He didn't feel anything, and he didn't want to. He felt his consciousness slip away and his mind wandered onto Kathryn's rosary. Oh how he prayed he could've been somewhere else at that moment...

* * *

 

 Ethan watched from his designated table his father reciting a profound speech he had written earlier. It was all bullshit. Ethan could tell half of it was just complimenting other leaders and the rest was just sugarcoating the bullshit ceremony that was this auction. The ceremony itself provided dances, food, and, most importantly, the trade. Ethan could see that there were plenty of slaves and servants milling around and assisting in carrying food on large wooden trays, or drinks or standing aside respectively. Yet he could not see Tyler. 

 The youngest Nestor noticed a group of men, all wearing designated robes that meant they were up for auction. They snickered to one another and they had beads of sweat running down their foreheads. One of them, who seemingly looked like the leader of this small group of five, lead the group to stand behind the stage, arms behind their backs. Andrew soon arrived, a female servant at his side.

  "You go on back to your friends now, darling, have a good night," he whispered before she giggled and left. Andrew smiled appreciatively as she scampered off to another array of female servants standing between a set of flags. "Treat your slaves right, Ethan. Or else they won't come back to you when you let em loose. And you gotta let em loose every now and then," he said. Ethan rolled his eyes and kept his arms crossed over his chest, leaning back on his chair to watch his father drone on about how this year's turnout was astounding.

  "Speaking of, I haven't seen your little whore. Where is the fellow?" Andrew asked, sitting down and cracking a pistachio between his teeth. His posture was much more appropriate, he leaned forward a little as to show he was intrigued by his father's words, his back straight and face calm. Ethan simply scoffed.

  "Not my business, not my problem," Ethan muttered, "he's just a filthy being that was made to serve me, isn't that right Brother?" Ethan asked, voice sharp. Andrew chuckled.

  "Oh don't be so angry... I know how he was your only friend," Andrew flouted as he bit through another pistachio.

  "I have friends, Andrew. I have plenty, spending my time here and actually doing some good. If it wasn't for me, this colony could be in a crisis," Ethan bit out.

 Andrew slowly lowered the shells and flicked them to the ground. He turned in his seat and his eyes darkened as his voice dropped to speak to his younger brother.

  "I risk my life to get the supplies this colony needs. I am a pillar that upholds your stupid decorations. I am this town's sunlight. I give you light, I provide the wood that gives you a roof, I bring your glass jars and blankets that fill your shelters, I bring the rarities and supplies that the shopkeepers need to survive. I am the backbone to this economy. I helped rebuild this colony after every catastrophe." Andrew smirked. "And what do you do? Dust the shelves? Decorate? Peel potatoes? You're a disgrace to our family name. Live with it."

 Ethan held his breath, doing his best to hold back his tears and string of insults waiting in his throat. Ethan merely stood up as his father reached his closing statements. The youngest Nestor sped off, his older brother proud of his ability to tear his brother down to quickly. Ethan wasn't sure what he'd do. Where could he go? He'd have to go back. Ethan was passing a series of cabins when he looked between them and saw a small clearing. There was a trail of brown bottles that trailed down. Ethan approached, curious as to what they were and where they had appeared.

 Then Ethan made it into the clearing saw a single mattress in the center and Tyler laying upon it, ass bare and blood trickling down his mouth. Ethan sped toward him, reaching him and pulling his robes back down. Ethan tried patting his cheek to wake him. Who could have done this? The sound of boots scraping alerted him and he turned around, seeing the group of five, minus the leader, rounding Ethan. 

  "I think you're lost, Nestor. Party's that way," one of them said, less of a helpful tip than it was a threat.

  "Why'd you follow me?" Ethan asked, slowly standing up. The men shuffled awkwardly before one of them stepped forward, his fists bared and an offensive stance.

  "You better get out. We'll get your slave all dressed up and pretty when he wakes up," he snarled. Ethan narrowed his eyes.

  "So you know what happened to him?" Ethan asked, his voice growing cold. He's attempting what his brother has done so often to him.

  "Last warning, Nestor, or we'll have to drag you back and pin your 'unfortunate accident' on your slave over there," the man who stepped up threatened. Ethan tilted his head and smiled menacingly.

  "Try me. Go ahead," Ethan replied.

 There was a second of silence in which the other three simply shifted their weight from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do. The brave one finally took a swing at Ethan, missing as he sidestepped easily. The man swung again, Ethan simply jutting two fingers against his side. The man flinched, his body twisting before he finally charging at the heir. Ethan made a quick sidestep, snatched one of the brown bottles on the ground and smashed it against the ground, grabbing one of the shards and swinging at the man, slicing through his robe and cutting his chest. Another brave soul charged and Ethan swung his arm swiftly, slicing through his shirt, but barely missing his skin. He threw the shard and it landed on the ground right between the man's legs. 

  "Shit, forget this. Let him take the freak. I'm not dying today," one of them exclaimed before he scampered off. The other four followed suit, scattering after him as Ethan stood next to Tyler's unconscious body. Ethan quietly picked him up and carried him, with a struggle, toward the cabin where the servants were supposed to stay. Ethan was calm in his search for the robes Franklin had provided and dressed Tyler quickly, holding his breath as he noticed the torn undergarments. Ethan heard the sound of music in the distance and he assumed that the ceremony has just kicked into gear. 

 Speeding off towards the Scaffold, Ethan whispered furiously into Kathryn's ear, leading her off the stage and doing their best not to raise any suspicion. Thankfully, Andrew was not paying any attention as their father had engaged him into a conversation. Kathryn grabbed Amy and she confusedly followed. They reached the cabin once more and took it upon themselves to have Tyler look as good as possible.

  "What even happened to him?" Amy asked, in the middle of cleaning the blood off his legs, noting how it trickled from farther above.

  "I'll figure that out later. First, we handle this." Ethan said, gruffly. Kathryn and Amy finished their work, Ethan pushed them back towards the festivities and Ethan decided he'd wait himself until Tyler woke.

 The sound of wind growing and the way the clouds seemed to become darker had Ethan worried, but his main concern was on his servant. Tyler.

 Such a strange man. Something about Tyler had Ethan interested in him from the very start. Was it his magnificent blue eyes? His resting stonecold stare? Or was it the way he kept to himself, quiet and to the point? Ethan wasn't sure. The heir was in a trance, and he needed to test his theory. Kissing him was the difficult part, all he needed to know was whether or not they had a connection. And judging by the way that Tyler had not refused him, Ethan could only assume that Tyler was a gift. A gift he could not lose or break. His mother's death is what split he and his brother so far apart. Her memory created a chasm between them. Andrew blames his younger brother for her death, and he's made it his mission to make Ethan pay for his sin. His father forgives his son, but Ethan could tell that there were moments where all he saw was Ethan's mother in his eyes and become saddened all over again. 

 The memory was fresh in Ethan's mind, watching the storm rip her away from his arms. Ethan remembers the way she threw him to safety. A tear made its way down Ethan's cheek, his sudden sadness filling his mind. He clutched onto Kathryn's rosary in his hand. He wasn't one for praying, but in rare moments like these he would.

  "Ethan?" a frail voice whispered.

 Tyler had awoke. And so had the storm inside Ethan's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE WILD. GET READY.


	7. The Ceremony | Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ethan, Tyler, and Amy are in for one hell of a joyride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YALLLL IM ABOUT TO F*CK SHIZ UP

  "Ethan?" Tyler's voice croaked, quiet and afraid. 

 The heir's head bolted upright, he laid the rosary softly against the floorboards before scampering to his aid. Ethan analyzed his face, seeing his bright blue eyes search around their location.

  "W-where are we? Ethan--" then the memories flooded back. How he was kidnapped. The cloth and the smell that rendered him useless. The men that had... raped him.

  "Shh, Tyler, it's okay... It's okay," Ethan reassured, placing his hand on Tyler's shoulder. The servant shrugged him off, terrified by the sudden contact. Ethan retracted his hand slowly, hurt in his eyes as he stared at Tyler's vulnerability. He merely grabbed the rosary and wrapped it across his palm.

  "That's Kathryn's," Tyler stated numbly. Ethan pushed the sleeve of his robe farther down to cover his hand.

  "It was my mother's," Ethan replied, "but I let her have it. When we first met, she was too scared to speak to me. I decided to give her the rosary as a peace offering. She knows what it means to me, and I know what it means to her."

 Tyler was terrified, but he felt relief in focusing his attention on the subject rather than his own pain. Ethan held out his hand for Tyler to take. They both stood up, Tyler painfully rising as he did so, and he felt his legs start to fail underneath him. Ethan caught Tyler's arm around his shoulder, hoisting his body weight against his own slim figure. Their eyes connected for a few seconds, a blur of pity and care swirling between them. Ethan's eyes averted to the sound of a crash, and looked through the entrance into the Servant's Cabin to see a series of ceramic pots had fallen over from the straw chairs. The winds seemed to howl threateningly, the dark clouds were a final caveat as to the storm's return.

  "I'm getting you out of here, Tyler."

 The latter said nothing. He simply felt the blood rush back to his battered legs and slowly began to lean his weight onto them. Ethan soon let go of his servant and led the way out of the cabin, back to the ceremony. Tyler grabbed the heir's wrist before they left. "If you mind me asking, what happened to your mother? And why is her rosary so... important to you?"

 Ethan froze, his eyes stuck on the broken pots outside. He turned his head enough to see Tyler's concerned face in his peripheral vision before letting the tension release from his shoulders. "I'll never know what happened to her," Ethan said, his voice on the brink of quivering, "but I do know that it won't have to happen again."

 With those few words, Ethan left the cabin and Tyler was left to limp behind him as they did so.

* * *

 

  "Where is my son, dear Kathryn?" the Ruler asked as he approached the two women. Amy glanced at a random set of tables and Kathryn held her throat.

  "Well, he needed to go check up on someone-- something, I mean --he'll be back shortly, I suppose," Kathryn replied, attempting to keep her voice level. The man chuckled and clapped her shoulder lightly and wandered off to greet more guests. Amy smacked the woman's arm.

  "Are we just not going to speak about what happened? Tyler was--" Amy looked around them to make sure there were nobody close enough to hear them before leaning closer to Kathryn's side. "That Tyler was raped?!" She hissed. Kathryn gave her a dreadful side-glare before Andrew marched up to them with his trademark smirk, plastered on his face.

  "Hello, ladies. I'm cutting straight to the point and assuming you know about my brother's whereabouts?" He asked, voice polite and confident. Kathryn nodded and Amy returned her blank stare to the tables. "Perfect. Where may he be wandering off to?"

 Kathryn was about to reply when Ethan suddenly appeared behind them, pushing through and smirking at his older brother. "Andrew, nice to see you've dressed up! Can you direct me to Father? I heard he's been searching for me," Ethan replied, voice obnoxiously strong. Andrew did his best for his smile not to falter and lead his younger brother away. Ethan hissed at Kathryn to 'watch for him'.

 The two women were confused by this before turning their eyes toward the limping servant. Tyler held himself against an empty table and Amy rushed to his side immediately.

  "Jesus Christ, thank God you're here. I've had too many people ask about Ethan and his 'splendid slave'," Kathryn whispered.

  "What happened to Ethan's mother," Tyler asked, determination behind his question. Kathryn, who was surprised by his words, simply flatted out the front of her robes.

  "She's dead. She was blown away in a storm. Ethan was barely a little child, but the town's history has it that she and many other nurses had been taken away by a Superstorm. She risked her life, throwing Ethan towards a collapsed cabin before she was ripped away. Her body was found weeks later, frozen to death, obviously. Ethel used to be under her teaching. So when Ethan was old enough to meet Ethel, the two soon created these Storm Shelters and maximized its importance."

 Amy's mouth dropped at the story and Tyler felt his heart slightly tear. It made sense now why Andrew and Ethan do what they do.

  "And her rosary," Tyler added, pulling out the item from his boot," why do you keep it. Why didn't you give it back?"

 Kathryn stared at the item and snatched it from his hand. She slipped it into her own boot and narrowed her eyes at Tyler.

  "Because when I was ostracized, I had run across multiple bodies that were frozen to death," Kathryn bit out.

  "And one of them was Ethan's mother..." Amy finished, connecting all the dots for herself. This time the maiden turned her deadly stare to the nurse. Amy merely closed her mouth and held her head high.

 The sound of commotion rising behind them announced the beginning of the slave auction. Kathryn grabbed Tyler's arm, with a surprising softness as they made their way towards the Scaffold. The anticipating bidders all stared at Tyler as he slowly made his way up, Amy flanking his right side so that they didn't see his slight limp.

  "They're going to smack one of your knee's with a cane and you have to try your best not to fall. They'll also push it down on both shoulders, so do your best to remain balanced. Also, don't make eye contact with the practitioner as he analyzes you, he'll think you're trying to be cocky and he'll ask you a ridiculous, irrelevant question. And do not, I repeat, do not look over at Ethan at any time. Give 'em your stonecold stare."

 Tyler nodded his head solemnly. Kathryn raised his chin and analyzed his face for a second. "And do not speak a word."

 The two women flew off the scaffold and joined the Nestor's where they sat, patient and eyes focused on the array of slaves. Of course Andrew, who held his ego too high, put all but one slave for auction. He had the money to pay it off, yet he liked to show off regardless.

  "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you this series of servants and slaves all up for bidding!" The crowd clapped appropriately. "let's examine them one by one, yes?"

 And so it began. The man used his large, bamboo cane to smack and prod at every which way on each man and woman on stage. Tyler took the maiden's advice and held his balance as the man clacked at his kneecap. He bit his tongue as the pain shuddered through his leg, but he kept a straight poster. The uncertainty of the bidders' faces gave him slight anxiety. Two women had already been tricked into answering a truly ridiculous question. The man began to ramble off facts about each slave until he went down the row to Tyler and to two familiar faces. Isabella, one of the unconscious twins he had met during the flight, and Trinket. The two kept their eyes stuck onto the platform. Trinket sported a long scar across his jaw and Isabella was wearing chains at her feet.

  "And this, handsome specimen was sent over to the Nestor's, our royal guardians here. He's been known to lift heavy objects and sway the attention of the finest women in town," the man said, voice all too excited and dramatic to draw an appeal from the crowd. "This young man can fix just about anything you'd need fixing for. He's got the brain of a machine and the heart of a blacksmith!"

 Trinket waved his hand and many members in the audience murmured amongst themselves. The man continued. "This final girl, she's polite and all too quiet. She's recognized as a great healer and can treat any and all wounds. She's an excellent craftsmen!"

 The audience scattered to their tables and conversed among one another under what bids they'd place. Trinket nudged Tyler.

  "hey, remember us?" he asked, a sly smile on his face. Isabella nodded her head quietly.

  "You were on the flight here," Tyler stated. Trinket nodded his head.

 The bidding began. There was great commotion going down the line of slaves and servants. One man placed a bid on Tyler, but it wasn't much. Finally it had come down to only six people at the end of the Scaffold.

  "I'll take the Handsome Specimen!" A wealthy man shouted. He must have come from the Trident colony, as he seemed to accumulate multiple servants, including Mark. Andrew turned his attention to the man and simply gave him a deadly glare.

  "I'll bid a stack of Chroma!" Ethan shouted. Andrew's smirk returned. Kathryn eyed the Trident man.

  "I'll bid two stacks of Chroma, for the Handsome specimen and the two beside him!" the man shouted. The crowd's attention came towards the man and Ethan.

  "Three Stacks and a bundle of Wood!" Ethan rebutted. Tyler's eyes averted to Ethan.

  "Four Stacks!"

 The crowd began to applaud and the man held a confident smirk on his face. Ethan felt his temper rising.

  "Four Stacks of Chroma, Two bundles of Wood!"

 More applause and Ethan's father began to shift in his seat. "Ethan, what in Nether's name are you doing? Just strike a deal afterward, don't gamble for a silly servant--"

  "Don't tempt a powerful man, Nestor. You'll easily lose," the man at the Scaffold hissed. Ethan stood from his chair and looked at the man with a menacing smile.

  "Four Stacks, Two bundles, and a Ruby," Andrew announced. "Final offer," he replied, with his smirk. The audience clapped enthusiastically. 

  "SOLD!" Tyler, Trinket, and Isabella were ready to be led off the Scaffold. The chains on Isabella's ankles were released and the wind had definitely picked up. The sound of something akin to a cannon sounded in the distance. Then a ferocious wind swept across, chairs flying over and people's balances being lost. Tyler held onto Trinket as he almost fell as well. 

  "Storm Alert!" Ethel shouted from a distance. "Follow the flags! Follow the flags! Everybody follow the flags!"

 The guests all scattered in every direction to find the designated Shelters. Amy disappeared with the rest of the nurses. Kathryn hurried over and helped them off the Scaffold as calamity broke out within the colony. Ethan's eyes connected with Tyler's. They both nodded their heads, acknowledging their duties respectively as they spurred into action. Tyler's limp didn't help at all. Kathryn led Trinket and Isabella with the rest of the Nestor's back to the manor. Tyler hurried off to assist in the effort to subdue panic. The giant wooden walls that surrounded them began to tremble under the storm's fierce winds. The gray swirl that had approached was now directly next to the colony, it's towering gray figure consuming everything in its path. 

 A boulder seemed to crash somewhere behind Tyler, a series of screams ripping through the fierce wind. His body fought the natural resistance, but it became to no avail as he was suddenly swept off his feet with a quick gust. He attempted to stand but was only met with a pair of hands lifting him up. It was Mark. Tyler recognized the firm hands. They felt like the same ones that had tried to hold him down. 

  "Get off of me!" Tyler shouted, punching Mark square in the jaw as the man flew back, tumbling against the ground. Tyler continued his strides toward the manor, a fog-like cloud seemed to phase through the walls and it urged Tyler to hurry. He could see the stairs to the manor already, but the resistance seemed to grow as Tyler approached.

 He looked behind his back to see the town was almost deserted. A single woman in a white cloak with its bright red cross flashed in the distance. Tyler returned to his mission in reaching the house. Finally on its premises, Tyler reached the small gate at its front and opened it. He limped his way to the front stairs where he used his strength to pry open the door. Entering the house almost seemed worse. The winds fierce howl filled the house. The furnace was out and there were few items scattered across the floor.

  "Is anybody in here?!" Tyler shouted, making his way through the kitchen and up the stairs. He shut every door and saw that Kathryn had boarded up most of the windows for him. He looked out the window and saw that there was a struggle between the Nurse and a man. Once the servant finally double-checked each floor of the house, he made his way outside and could hear the commotion from the violent winds.

  "Let me in!" the man shouted.

  "Mark, get away! It's over! We've been over!"

 Tyler let the wind basically carry him and he tried to lead the nurse away before Mark lunged at Tyler. 

  "Mark no!" Amy's hood flew off her head as she grabbed onto Mark's back and threw him aside with surprising strength. Tyler slowly stood up with Amy's help and they began to fight the wind to reach the shelter. Mark charged forward with a yell and tackled them both by grabbing Amy's legs.

  "Get off of her!" Tyler shouted. Mark seemingly clawed at Amy's leg and she used the other and attempted to slam her heel into his eye.

  "We had something once, Amy. We loved each other! What went wrong?!" Mark shouted. Amy began to crawl away, the icy ground failing to aid them as the wind seemingly pushed them back.

  "You're a rapist! You're a horrid rapist and a soulless human being!" Tyler shouted. Amy's eyes widened at Tyler and turned to fire as she looked at Mark. Mark pulled a shard of glass from his boot and stabbed it into Tyler's leg. The man exclaimed in pain and Amy looked ahead to see Ethan poking his head out from the doors.

  "Tyler! Tyler! We have to go!"

 Amy slowly stood up, their vision caught by the sudden gray cloud that began to approach them slowly. Tyler was helped up and Mark began to pounce before Amy slammed her palm into Mark's forehead. She stepped on his ankle and proceeded to kick him. 

  "Burn in hell, you monster!" Amy shouted as they attempted to run towards the shelter.

  "Hurry!" Ethan yelled, feeling the wind getting stronger and the cloud beginning to flood towards them. Mark, who already seemed beaten up, rose from where he laid and began to stride toward his prey.

  Amy was almost dragging Tyler at this point, his weight leaning against her as they got closer and closer towards the doors. Rocks and splinters of wood flew in multiple directions. The wind roared in their ears. Tyler's legs were pained and his head began to throb from his aching limbs. Amy had tears in her eyes from the fierce winds, her arms shaking as they held onto Tyler as tight as possible. Ethan's greatest fear approaching them slowly. 

 Alas, they finally reached the entrance as the gray cloud had begun to surround them. Ethan got out, helping Amy in as he began to help Tyler. Amy's boots clanked against the ladder, where she saw the rest of the royal family sitting and awaiting. Andrew had a small scar on his cheek in which she began to analyze. Ethan and Tyler were still in the fierce winds.

  "I'm going to go in first, and then you'll have to squeeze next to me so that you don't fall down the ladder. I'll hold right onto you, but this has to be a team effort," Ethan explained. Tyler nodded his head, exhausted.

 Ethan began to go down the ladder and motioned for Tyler to follow. The servant slowly scooted over and swung his legs next to Ethan's face. Tyler reached for Ethan's arms to hold onto him as he slid onto the first rung. The sound of the wooden walls creaking and the metal doors groaning. The cloud had fully encompassed them. A pair of arms lunged for Tyler's throat and ripped him away from Ethan's grasp.

  "No-o!" Ethan began to exclaim before one of the metal doors swung so quickly that it slammed over Ethan's head and sent him flying down the stairs and collapsing onto the floor. He lost consciousness immediately and Amy screamed as his body fell lifelessly onto the cold floor.

 Tyler felt himself being strangled. He could see Mark's angered face, his arms pushing down on his throat. 

  "You like that, you little fuck? You sure seemed to like it when I felt you. The way you writhed in your sleep. God, you're such a fucking slut. A stupid slut that's about to die." Mark pushed down on Tyler's throat. He felt his face start to swell at the lack of oxygen. He could tell his face was turning purple at that instant. His heartbeat ringing through his head, his eyes tearing up and ears beginning to pop.

 Tyler's arm weakly searched around them and found a rock. Without thinking, Tyler swung the rock and slammer it against Mark's temple relentlessly until he felt the blood spray on his face and his arms weaken. His eyesight began to dim, the sound of the grew and for a second, Tyler heard nothing. There was a seeming peace around him. _Was this what my life has come to?_   Tyler thought to himself. His mouth was dry. He couldn't tell is Mark was still alive or not. Crawling around, ready to attack him once again. Tyler's back hurt. Everything hurt at that point. A gentle memory seemed to fill his mind.

  _"No, dummy! It's an acronym.  You're a sweet, little, unforgivable, thing," She explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "S.l.u.t., Duh!"_

Tyler smiled. And he felt a tug of sleep pull him under as he lay in the eye of the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wellllpppp  
> [excuse the typos, i'll reread it tmrrw to edit..]


	8. Inside the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick escape turns into a deadly journey...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dont know where this is going but HEY WE'RE ALMOST DONE

 The first time Tyler opened his eyes, he saw nothing but dark clouds hanging overhead. A person shaking his shoulders violently. He herd a faint ringing, blocking the rest of the noise in his ears. He was cold, his limbs felt stiff. But there was nothing left in him to get him to move around. As a pair of arms picked him up, his head rolled and looked down at the ground. Mark lay lifeless, eyes open and eyelashes frozen over. There was frost across most of his face and his robes were barely tattered. Splatters of red colored his face and a shining rock at his side finished the horrific artwork.

 Tyler's head began to throb, and he felt the arms put him back down onto something soft. Andrew loomed over, his hair flying with the wind as he frantically buckled Tyler down onto a... was it a sled? Tyler began to close his eyes, losing consciousness once again.

* * *

  The second time he woke up, it was to the feeling of bumping all over the place. The icy wind stabbed at his throat, the sound of a solid scraping weakly against another rang in his ears, replacing the ringing that deafened him. There was shouting coming from ahead and the constant stomping of feet around him. The servant's body shook with the sled as it slid wildly across the ice and occasionally rocking from left to right.

 Tyler's eyes rolled across the light, gray clouds trailing across to reach the horizon. His eyes landed on another sled, this tie with a smaller figure wrapped in a single blanket. Tyler tried to raise his head to see who was in it, but a sudden bump slammed his head back down and all he wished was to go back to sleep. His eyes began to close as his environment shook in multiple directions.

* * *

  Finally, Tyler's eyes opened to a calmer setting. There was soft snow flakes falling against his cheeks. There were no longer any harsh winds. There were no loud screeching. It was calm. A little too calm, if you ask him. Tyler lifted his body into a sitting position, painfully as his body had stayed stiff the entire time. Two people lay on the frozen ground beside him. A woman with an extended white robe and its classic red cross stretching across. Another figure with a dark blue robe and freezing hair laid across their facial features. There were clouds flowing out of the dark figure's mouth, their chest heaving as they lay.

  "Who's there?" Tyler asked. The question seemed childish, a series of questions filled Tyler's mind immediately after, but all he could do was wait for a reply.

  "Me," a woman mumbled beneath the nurse's cape. 

  "Andrew," the man exhaled out. The latter rose from where he lay, wincing as he did so. His hair slowly mopped off his cheek and he blearily took notice of their surroundings. The soft breeze blew through, swaying his hair lightly. Tyler followed his eyesight before realizing nothing had come of it except a barren land with the large storm that encapsulated them.

  "Are we in the eye of the storm?" Tyler asked, noting the towering thunderstorms that seemed to revolve around them as a circle. Andrew nodded his head weakly before heaving off to the side. Amy rose her head and groaned, holding her stomach as she did so.

  Amy suddenly shouted and flew into the air from fright. She skidded backward and Tyler sat up to the sound of ice cracking. Tyler looked over and saw that she had swiped away lots of snow powder, revealing hard ice underneath. Beneath the ice, however, laid a skeleton. Almost fossilized in its ice, the skeleton looked relatively human, missing a jaw and a bashed skull. Andrew examined the figure and grimaced.

  "Jesus Christ, where are we?" Andrew wondered aloud. Tyler was about to ask the same thing before ice began to crack at the sudden shift in their movements. 

  "What the hell-" Amy began to exclaim before the ice cracked even further than before. Andrew stood up, grabbed a flimsy robe that connected to the wooden sled and began to pull, jogging at a surprising force in order to pull. Amy, who scampered on her feet, began to chase after them and push the sled from behind. The two stomped and use their strength to escape the fragile ground, but to no avail as the crooked trail seemed to linger to their every connection with the ice beneath them.

 Tyler began to panic, seeing as they were headed for the walls of the storm, and that they might be inevitably trapped within here. 

  "Go, go, go!" Amy exclaimed as she pushed with all her might. Her foot slid backwards and she slapped back against the ice. The crackling continued and only seemed to blossom underneath her. Andrew did his best to slow down and watch as she slowly began to push herself up.

  "Amy! Don't... don't move," Andrew cautioned. The sled continued to skid past, neither paying any attention to Tyler who kept sliding away, but was tugged back by the rope Andrew held.

  "I-i'm gonna fall if I just stay here!" Amy replied, her voice and legs trembling. The ice seemed to tinkle and crawl a snail's pace towards her.

  "If you move, you could break the ice at any given second. Just... just stand up slowly and inch your way towards me," the man cautioned. Amy took his advice, slowly standing up, letting her back uncurl as her legs shook. 

 Amy took a tentative step, letting the front of her foot touch the ice first before relaxing the rest of her foot against its surface. With each movement she made, the ice seemed to crackle underneath her a little more. She changed her plan to sliding one foot after the other, one after the other. Her balance was as fragile as the ice underneath her. From where they stood now, they could hear the winds howling farther in front of them. Her hair barely blew away from her face and her lips trembled in fear. Her foot slid against the rough surface, her eyes darting back and forth analyzing each and every mistake that could be made. All she could do was hope she didn't tread too much or she could fall.

  "That's it, a little closer, a little closer," Andrew whispered.

  "Shut up," She hissed as she recomposed herself and tread gradually slower. Soon enough she was about a meter or so away from him. She took one grandiose leap and Andrew caught her in his arms. She exhaled and looked behind to see there had been no disturbance in her risky movement. The two laughed, they were anxious laughs but the relief seemed to fill them both together. Tyler let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in.

  "Alright, now let's go find the others--!" Andrew began to say before the ice cracked at a lightning speed and the stable ground beneath them suddenly collapsed. Amy and Andrew flew into the water beneath and it took a few seconds before they rose and began to gasp for air like fish out of water.

  "Tyler, oh my god, fuck, Tyler!" Andrew gasped, the cold hitting his body all at once. Amy shivered and gasped as the shock seemed to hit her senses. Then she began to wail helplessly. Tyler couldn't help but stare, the moment suddenly reaching his senses before he sprung into action.

  "Uh, just hold on!" Tyler shouted as he did his best to get out of the sled. His legs were in pain, the struggle to maintain balance and assuage the pain became a difficult task. Tyler remained on his knees, saving himself a few scales of pain. He slowly crept toward the enormous hole in the ice and hoped where he stood wouldn't concave either. Tyler wasn't sure who he could rescue first. Or if he could rescue them at all. 

  "Tyler, please!" Andrew exclaimed, a terror in his eyes that he had never seen before. Amy gasped wildly and tears streamed down her red face.

  "T-T-Tyler you have to help me, oh god, please," she sobbed, her voice cracking and trembling from the frozen water. Tyler reached for Amy first, grabbing her hand as tightly as he could before hoisting her as much as possible out of the water, She clawed at the ice and he pulled her leg up as she rolled onto the ice. She sobbed, gasped, and sputtered out of the water. 

 Now he had to save Andrew. The man was able to swim to the closest edge, and Tyler had to do his best to pull the man onto the fragile ice. With the remaining strength he had, Tyler was able to splash Andrew out of the water and the two rolled over next to each other. The wind froze them both in place and all Tyler could do was breath deeply. Their wind had grown slightly stronger, nearing the walls of the storm. Tyler could practically feel his heartbeat pulsing throughout his body. 

  "What now?" Tyler asked, his voice hoarse, pushed out from his throat as he tried to breathe. The pain in his legs was almost undeniable, but the rest of his body ached from exerting so much energy.

  "We wait until this storm breaks up," Andrew groaned. Amy clearly needed the sled more than Tyler did at this point, her body motionless where it lay, shivering to her maximum in order to stay warm.

  "How long will that... take?" Tyler asked, his eyes trailing along the wall of the storm, curving way and forming an almost perfect circle around them. 

  "Well... the compass on the sled is still pointing South... and as far as I've heard... not many people make it alive down here because of the storms," Andrew noted, his eyes following the walls. "We might just be the first ones to live," he muttered.

  "Won't they eventually hit the mountains or something?" Amy asked, refusing to sit up from where she shivered on the ground.

  "That's the idea, at least."

 The three remained quiet and noticed that the storm was in fact moving forward, and soon enough they had to strap Amy into the sled, wrap in the blanket, Tyler hobbled behind as he pushed and they began to follow the storm's walls at a crawling pace. Only time could tell what fate had in store for them next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall ain't ready for next chapter tho. Trust me.

**Author's Note:**

> LEAVE ME FEEDBACK. PLEASE. NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE.  
> i'm trying to improve ._. oky . carry on!


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